


Trinity

by CourierNinetyTwo



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-12
Updated: 2014-02-02
Packaged: 2018-01-04 10:51:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 34,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1080146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CourierNinetyTwo/pseuds/CourierNinetyTwo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One Janiris changes everything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Change and flexibility were what kept relationships strong. Every asari who had a relationship over a decade learned the lesson at one point or another, avoiding the chance that stagnation would lead to misery. It was necessary when one could keep a partner for centuries, seeing a continuous shift in both body and mind.

These were truths Benezia knew well, but her train of thought was broken by a quickening in her pulse when Aethyta's lips brushed over her throat again. They had been enjoying each other’s company on the couch since dinner ended, exchanging kisses and caresses in between sips of traditional spring wine from a single silver cup. It was a simple pleasure, one she could rarely indulge in.

Janiris emptied out the house in a way most other holidays didn't. Her acolytes went out to the local shrines and celebrations of their own, content to have a day and night free from study and contemplation. Teaching gave her both purpose and vitality, but decorum meant presenting a certain image to her students and keeping Aethyta from ravishing her all over the house - at least, where they could be heard.

Her security detail was conspicuously absent as well, although that was by personal request. Benezia was used to the spike in smiles and chatter among the commandos when Janiris approached, ensuring a small bonus was added to their pay in the week so they could celebrate to their heart's content at the row of pleasure houses that lit up by the lakeshore of Serrice's capital. Those who had already taken lovers were granted the same leave, whether for a romantic evening or a proper ritual affirmation. Any concerns for safety were alleviated by the fact that Aethyta wouldn't leave her presence for the whole night; that and Shiala keeping a quiet vigil in the meditation room, despite Benezia encouraging the younger asari to take a break.

She could have made it an order, but that seemed counterintuitive.

"I'm not doing my job if you're getting that look." Aethyta murmured against her skin, breath warm.

The faint hint of the older asari's teeth against the curve of her shoulder, bared entirely by the dress she had chosen, made her shiver.

"I'm sorry." She turned her head to coax a kiss out of her bondmate. "And you've already been terribly patient with me."

"That's one word for it." Aethyta's smile was bright with a hint of mischief. It was the type of smile that led to her being seduced under the stars where anyone could see, or struggling to keep quiet in the back of a skycar while the older asari's fingers slid up her dress. "Maybe I was just waiting for the wine to do its dirty work."

"Oh?" Benezia put a teasing lilt into her tone. "Whatever for?"

"An idea." Aethyta's lips brushed her cheek, calloused fingertips seeking out her nape to massage along the spot right above her spine. A soft sound escaped Benezia's lips as her bondmate's fingers worked upward centimeter by centimeter.

"And what would that be?" There was a telling catch in her breath when Aethyta's thumb brushed along a particularly sensitive groove.

The older asari pulled back just enough for their eyes to meet, showing Benezia just how much darkness and desire was present. "Last year you mentioned bringing someone else to bed."

Benezia felt a rush of heat at the reminder, quietly clearing her throat. While she hadn't been terribly deep into her cups, the confession had followed a particular intense meld where the Aethyta caught a fraction of an image, an old fantasy about feeling two sets of hands on her skin. She had rushed to explain, trying to downplay the spike of lust that had surged through the connection before it finally ended.

Aethyta had offered a smile and a throaty laugh that eased most of her fears, but she still felt guilty for thinking of it. The older asari had satisfied all of her desires for decades, always willing to try something new, to edge against the boundaries they both shared. It was one of the things that made her love Aethyta so, driving her to explore, to experience more than she'd ever allowed herself in the past.

"I did." She said softly, unable to completely dispel her hesitation.

The warmth of Aethyta's mouth against hers again made a hint of the tension subtly trickle away. Benezia was surprised by how long the kiss lasted, the longing that they had both been deliberately enkindling the entire evening making her ache. Dinner had almost forced her to abandon the game entirely, unable to focus on even casual table conversation when she'd felt biotics caressing up her thighs, only to stop just shy of her lingerie. The teasing had lasted through both courses until Aethyta finally relented during dessert, if only to sit closer so they could share the same spoon.

"There's nothing to be ashamed of." Fingers gently cradled her jaw, keeping their gazes locked. "I got to thinking about it."

Benezia felt her pulse quicken for a different reason. "And what did you decide?"

"That I got the chance to do plenty - three in one bed isn't even my limit.” A soft chuckle left Aethyta's lips. “Hell of a thing. Couldn't tell which way was up and whose ass I was grabbing by the end of the night most of the time.”

Some of the mirth faded from Aethyta’s expression. “Not that it has to be about that. But there's no reason you shouldn't get a shot too."

"I don't want you to feel obligated bec-" She began.

"Nezzy." Aethyta's brow quirked. "It's not like I'm getting left out of the equation here."

"No, of course not." Benezia felt that hint of a blush again. The older asari hadn't seen the full extent of the fantasy, just how thoroughly she indulged in the benefit of another partner present, especially when it came to pleasuring Aethyta in return. "Far from it."

Her bondmate's smile widened. "And it really is the season, isn't it?"

She felt Aethyta's fingers settle back at the base of her nape and barely concealed a shiver. Despite her doubts, it was difficult not to ask the question that burned at the forefront of her thoughts.

"Who would it be?"

The answer seemed fairly simple. On Janiris of all occasions, every brothel in the city had their doors flung wide open and the holiday was considered cause for blanket discretion; who shared a bed with who on such a night was Janiri's business and no one else's. However, there was something to the glint in Aethyta's eye that made her curious if there was more to the matter.

Part of her that wanted there to be more. While the fantasy hadn't included anyone in particular, the thought of sharing intimacy with another who knew her as well as Aethyta gave a certain charge to the image. Unfortunately, the list of those who would qualify was fairly short.

"Someone you can trust." Aethyta mulled over the words for a moment. “I'll bet my shotgun she's interested."

Despite her hopes, she couldn't help but be surprised. "Are you going to make me guess?"

Benezia noticed a faint flicker in her bondmate's expression, and realizing that Aethyta was a bit nervous as well had the odd effect of making her feel better. Maybe the concept of a threesome wasn't new to the older asari, but it would be an unfamiliar dynamic between them both.

"Shiala," Aethyta said softly.

Her eyes widened, stunned for a long moment.

Feeling her heart starting to pound in her chest, Benezia immediately protested.  "Aethyta, I...we can't-"

"Nezzy, take a breath." The older asari's smile returned. "I've seen the way she watches you."

Benezia fumbled for a moment, trying to compose her thoughts. "She's supposed to watch me. She's a bodyguard."

The protest sounded weak even as she uttered it, which was embarrassing in and of itself. How had Aethyta gotten such an idea?

"She's supposed to watch your surroundings so you don't get hurt." Aethyta leaned back against the couch, fingers brushing against her bare shoulder. "That's not what I catch her looking at."

Making the senior soldier under her command into an object of fantasy shouldn’t have been so enticing. Even allowing herself to picture the younger asari in such a context seemed like it would cast shadows on her doubts, which was more than enough reason to refrain from doing so. Shiala had been in her service for decades and displayed a loyalty Benezia thought put the entire turian Hierarchy to shame, much less other asari. While she'd never had to snap an order at Shiala to see her wishes followed, there was a tightness in her chest at the idea that the matron would submit to her will without truly consenting.

"I'm her employer." Benezia finally managed. "She's contracted to serve me, and without question."

Aethyta's brow raised. "You do remember how she got herself hired, don't you?"

Dismay aside, the memory prompted a small smile.

"She broke into my hotel to prove my security hadn't been....up to par. But that doesn't change that she's bound to me now."

"She still tells you to shove it when she means it." Aethyta shrugged. "If you had it your way, the commandos wouldn't even be carrying sidearms in public."

"I-" She frowned. "You agreed with her. I don't like it, but it's-"

"Of course I agreed with her. But I didn't tell you that until the two of you sorted it out." Aethyta said wryly.

"I suppose that's true." Benezia's lips pursed in a tight line. "Although that's only one occasion."

Aethyta canted her head. "It was the first. She kept you from going to Cantara's birthday too, and you spent the entire weekend upset over it."

She opened her mouth to argue, but it was unfortunately true. The guildmistress was a very close friend, and the party had been celebrating nine centuries of life and five hundred years since Cantara had planted the first vine that eventually became some of the most beloved wines on Thessia. Benezia remembered all of the plans she had put together, including a few shamelessly lavish gifts, only for Shiala to make a vehement objection she had never expected.

The venue for the party, originally an incredibly exclusive restaurant on the Citadel, had been changed two days prior, moving to a resort planet that was a stone's throw from Illium. Cantara had found her guest list far exceeded the space at hand and rented out an entire beach, offering to compensate for any change in travel tickets that were necessary. Shiala's reaction had been grave, and it had only taken the matron a matter of hours to compile a report of potential threats and dangers. Neither of them - nor Aethyta - had ever been to the planet in question, and Benezia was shocked when Shiala told her the household wouldn't be going on the trip.

All her rebukes had fallen flat, with Shiala countering every point she could summon. The argument never became the snapping and shouting she and Aethyta had occasionally fallen to over certain political matters, but Benezia would never forget the younger asari offering to resign if the celebration was important enough to risk her safety. While it would have been taken as hyperbole from almost anyone else, the steel in Shiala's eyes barely masked the depth of the matron's concern, and she had finally relented, sending the gifts with an extensive apology to Cantara over her private terminal.

"I'd forgotten about that." Benezia muttered, nearly under her breath. It was rare for her to get truly angry, but when she was, it came on with all the strength of a summer storm, lasting until she'd exhausted herself with fury. Those nights hadn't been her proudest moments.

"But she's still here. No grudges, no growling." Aethyta leaned forward, claiming her lips in a firm kiss.

"She may be merely waiting for an opportunity then,” she replied tartly, feigning an irritation she didn’t feel.

"An opportunity for _something_.” Aethyta leaned forward, claiming her lips in a firm kiss. “She still watches you."

"One could inform the other,” She said against the older asari's mouth.

“It informs, alright.”

Benezia couldn’t refuse the second kiss that followed. Aethyta's tongue teased against her lower lip before there was a light tug of teeth, the sensation going straight between her thighs and earning a quiet gasp.

If she could convince Aethyta to have such a silver tongue on the podium as the elder matriarch did when trying to take her to bed, Thessia would have a revolution overnight.

"She'll say no if she means it." Aethyta murmured. "More than one matriarch at your speeches has tried to steal her away under your nose, even if it was just in a closet for an hour."

Benezia blinked. "You're kidding."

A soft chuckle rumbled in Aethyta's throat. "No, babe. Some people never give up tag-chasing. Even if Shiala isn't military anymore, she certainly looks like it."

There was no arguing that. Benezia bit her lip, trying to mull over the matter without plunging into fantasy. The matron was plainly obsessive about exercise, and she had interrupted more than one workout with important matters to discuss, silently impressed with how quickly Shiala could switch focus, even while dripping with sweat. She'd seen those slender fingers when they tightly gripped a steel bar, the well-worn calluses and scars on both hands from a life dedicated to combat. They were the same ones Aethyta shared.

"I don't want her to lose respect for me," she finally admitted, leaning forward so her brow gently touched Aethyta's.

"I'll ask her. I'm not her boss. Lucky to be bonded to the boss, but she's told me to get stuffed since day one."

Benezia let out a soft laugh. "She does, at that."

The older asari's eyes lit up again at the sound. "If she says no, I'll say sorry. And she'll know it was all my idea."

But it wasn't, entirely. Benezia bit the inside of her cheek, considering the right words. While she was fairly convinced Shiala's reaction would be demanding to know if Aethyta was a lunatic, that didn't change the fact that she’d appreciated the matron’s form in the past, even it had been for the sake of aesthetics. Never with as much intensity as tonight, but it seemed disingenuous to let Aethyta think otherwise.

"There has to be more than that." Her eyes flickered down. "Why would you pick Shiala when you two have...a distance?"

"Because I'm not blind, Nezzy." Aethyta seemed more amused than anything else. "She's young and built like an ad for a fitness vid. Your eyes wander sometimes too. Even I've looked once or twice out of professional curiosity."

"And what profession would that be?" Benezia asked.

"Soldier to soldier." The older asari's lips brushed against hers. "Possessive bondmate to attractive matron who likes to wear a tank top and shorts that leave nothing to the imagination. That sort of thing."

She could picture the very outfit in question, which Shiala always wore without a hint of self-consciousness. The younger asari had been a gymnast in her maiden years, more than accustomed to being on display. It was part of what had drawn Benezia’s eye, seeing such physicality lacking vanity or ego. How would Shiala respond to the first touch between them? Would the matron be gentle, or did she possess the same vigor Aethyta did?

"You're wicked." Benezia said breathlessly, tilting her head up to return the kiss. "I can't believe I'm considering this."

"If she says no, I'll make it up to both of you. Promise. Won’t be too hard to convince her that I'm a holiday drunk."

Benezia deliberately met Aethyta's eyes. "And you're not jealous?"

The older asari shook her head. "Not unless you plan on swapping bracelets with her and didn't tell me."

"Goddess, no." Benezia laughed. "Shiala seems quite content to keep up her singular mystique without a bondmate."

"Mystique, huh?" Aethyta's grin was infectious. "Maybe I should be worried."

She playfully slapped the older asari's shoulder. "You should ask before I decide to just content myself with the rest of the wine instead."

"Now that would be a tragedy." Aethyta slowly rose up from the couch, only letting the contact break between them at the last moment. "One night stands with wine always are."

Despite the teasing, Benezia reached for the glass resting in the center of the table, taking a long sip as she watched Aethyta make a path towards the door of the meditation room. Her heart started to race as she held to the cool comfort of the wine, unsure if she expected to hear a fight breaking out or see the older asari emerge ducking a statue of Janiri. Surely Shiala wouldn't say yes. If the matron did, then...

A picture easily formed as she recalled Shiala caught in a struggle with another commando. It had been after a long day of training, the sparring bouts allowing each soldier to vent the last of their energy. Their captain had single-handedly defeated most of the unit, sweat making an already tight workout shirt cling to muscles fraught with exertion. When Shiala finally caught her lieutenant in a hold, Benezia had watched the younger asari keep her opponent pinned until there was a signal for surrender. The matron rose from the floor with the fire of Kurinth in her veins, daring the rest of the room to challenge her again. How easy it would it have been for her to goad Shiala into a match, eager to find herself overpowered?

The silence as she waited was maddening. She hated the way her breath caught again at the memory, and how quickly her hopes rose. Although it was impossible to eavesdrop, the faint murmur of conversation had been audible past the barrier of the walls of the meditation room for a few minutes, only to vanish without explanation.

The glass in her hand was almost empty by the the time the door slid open, revealing both Aethyta and Shiala. She forced her expression to stay neutral, even if her fingers instinctively tensed around the remnants of the wine.

The matron looked...mystified.

She was prepared to stand and apologize when she felt Shiala's eyes on her. The weight of the younger asari's gaze should have been familiar; she was guarded every day in close proximity, constantly examined to be sure nothing was amiss. Benezia felt herself go still as a hint of darkness flared in Shiala's bright green gaze, the display of lust restrained at the last second by a suddenly tense jaw.

"Aethyta asked-" Shiala hesitated. "She requested that I join you for the evening. Both of you."

Benezia couldn't quite read the younger asari's tone or expression, but she nodded, hoping the gesture would encourage Shiala to continue speaking.

"Is that truly what you desire?"

This time she caught a hitch in the matron's words, the same that rose in her own speech when Aethyta's fingers were a centimeter from her skin, not yet touching. It was forcibly concealed need, the sublime ache that came from denial. Benezia had never let herself imagine such a thing in Shiala's voice.

"As long as you come to bed as an equal, and not to please me." Benezia said softly.

Shiala closed the distance between them in a handful of steps, one familiar hand resting against the top of the couch. There was no touch, not even a whisper of contact, but a faint shiver traveled down Benezia's spine.

"With all respect," The matron leaned down, stopping just short of a kiss. Near enough that if she breathed, their lips would meet. "I have every intention of pleasing you."

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Aethyta smiling, but it was difficult to begrudge her bondmate for being smug. The kiss she offered Shiala was brief but firm, intent on reassuring both of them this was what she wanted. Would it that other contracts were so pleasant to seal.

"Here?" The younger asari asked, withdrawing just enough for their eyes to meet.

"Upstairs, I'd think."

Whether it was the wine or the weight of desire, Benezia felt a tremble through her thighs as she moved to stand. Two pairs of hands caught her before she could react, easing her up to her feet, offering to guide her up the flight of steps. Seeing Aethyta and Shiala react in tandem, even outside the bedroom, provoked a jolt of desire. How could it not?

Only then could she allow her thoughts to wander, to cling to the idea of being caught between two warriors, driven by passion and visceral need. While Aethyta had never said or implied anything of the sort, Benezia hoped the fantasy didn't come off as selfish. She cherished the bond between them, just as she honored Shiala's dedication. Allowing lust to come into play certainly complicated matters, but she prayed it wouldn't unbalance things.

Lost in her own musing, it was startling to come out of it just a few feet from the bedroom door, much less catching sight of the gaze Aethyta and Shiala had shared. There had been a flicker of curiosity, a fire that took her a moment to translate. It was the same she’d seen in the gym with the other commandos, the heat of competition driving them forward.

She urged both of them through the threshold with a hand on their backs, privately amused when Aethyta smiled and straightened up a bit. When the door slid shut, there was a muted exhale of relief, including her own. Shiala took a step back as if to gauge their surroundings; the matron had been in her bedroom on plenty of occasions, but it was usually due to an emergency.

The last time Shiala had been naked in her quarters, it was covered in blood and shattered glass, fighting off an would-be assassin who had broken through the skylight with bare hands. While Benezia had enjoyed her private view of the stars, she had seen the glass replaced with a digital display that ran in real time, not wanting to put herself or Shiala at risk again.

She wanted that memory replaced by a better one.

Turning to face Aethyta, she reached for the clasps holding her bondmate's dress together, feeling each metal piece give beneath her fingertips.

"Are there any boundaries I need to set?" Benezia’s question was barely above a whisper, only the press of her palms keeping the dress from falling to the whim of gravity.

"Only if you need them, babe." Aethyta's hands slid to her back, finding the zipper hidden under a stylized pattern in the fabric, displaying a tree in full summer bloom. "I roll with the punches."

Benezia’s eyes flickered to the matron, who seemed caught between expectation and concern. "You can always change your mind, Shiala. There's no obligation."

"I was about to say the same thing." Shiala remarked breathlessly, offering a disbelieving smile. "Although admittedly, I found myself distracted."

Aethyta chuckled and began easing Benezia's dress down around the flare of her hips, letting it fall in a pool of embroidered fabric at her feet. She was left in nothing but her bra and panties, as well as a fairly conservative set of heels, the latter of which were carefully stepped out of. It meant she was an inch or two shorter than the older asari, but still of a height compared to Shiala, who never wore anything but regulation military boots.

"If you like what you see, you'll have to lose the leather." Aethyta commented, entirely at ease with being stripped by Benezia's hand. The older asari didn't skip a beat. "It's only fair."

Shiala immediately reached back over one shoulder, seeking out the zipper that would undo the uniform in a single piece. The leather was already form-fitting, but not quite tight enough to show every fine detail until the matron tugged it downward. Both arms were sculpted with strength from shoulder to wrist, bearing the same understated markings as Shiala's face. Another sharp pull of the leather showed the subtle curve of each breast, the smooth length of the younger asari's abdomen, taut lines delineating one muscle from the next. When the uniform was abandoned entirely to the floor, Benezia's breath caught in her throat.

She didn't even take a step, but the look in her eyes must have bid Shiala to approach, because suddenly she was pressed between a pair of bodies, both frames composed of the harsher angles she'd never developed. Aethyta had complained more than once about the matriarchal stage chipping at the figure a lot of hard years had been put into, but she loved the older asari's soft places as well as the rougher edges, and choosing which she enjoyed more would be arduous.

With Shiala at her back and Aethyta facing her, it took a moment for Benezia to discern just who was removing her bra, only to stiffen when a second set of hands hooked on the edge of her panties and started to draw them downward. The reaction wasn't out of protest, simply disbelief. Without any direction, she had become the central focus, and found herself being eased onto the bed.

She was immediately drawn into a heated kiss as she felt Shiala's breath whisper against her nape, the warm pressure of the matron's mouth starting to tease the sensitive ridges there. Benezia let out a sharp gasp against Aethyta's lips, the sound cut off by the older asari prompting a more forceful kiss.  In the moments when she allowed herself to imagine this, she'd always been stricken by the logistics, wondering how to direct the dynamics, what was fair to offer. Feeling it now, the insistent press of Shiala's hips and Aethyta's hands seeking out her breasts to roughly cup them, Benezia found herself robbed of speech, much less any semblance of control.

It was clear Aethyta had more presence of mind, as she found the words “on your back” growled against her lips. She gave in without question, feeling Shiala shift to allow for the movement. The matron's sculpted frame pressed flush against her side, tense with arousal. Trying to decide where to look was dizzying; Benezia ached for both hands and mouths to return, to sate their shared lust on every inch of her body.

"Do you think you can keep up?" Aethyta asked, the words directed towards Shiala.

Benezia opened her mouth to summon a rebuke, but Shiala's pitch black gaze, the way the younger asari was trembling with barely restrained energy, left her breathless.

"Always," Shiala smirked,  fingertips brushing over the hollow of one hip. “I’ll let you lead the way.”

There was no obeisance in the matron's tone, but the aggression of a challenge. Before she could react to the threat of a bruised ego, Aethyta's fingers had cupped her chin and pulled her into a deep kiss. The older asari's tongue parted her lips, providing a suitable distraction until she felt a roughened palm against one breast, firmly squeezing until a moan was forced from her throat. Aethyta knew just how much pressure she liked.

When the kiss finally broke, Benezia had just a second to breathe before Shiala's lips took possession of hers. The gesture was surprisingly gentle, keen on exploration than ravishment, but feeling the matron's hand on her other breast giving the same brusque treatment erased all notions of kindness. She was the flashpoint for their desire, exchanging kisses with them both in between quickened breaths, the peaks of her breasts being teased to hardened points, toyed with by calloused fingers.

A whimper caught in Benezia's throat when Aethyta's hand moved, but a second later it was grasped her thigh, intent on parting her legs. When Shiala's grip shifted to assist, she let out a helpless moan; the younger asari's strength would have been intimidating if it hadn't made her ache for more. With her thighs spread, Aethyta's fingers delved between them, seeking out slick folds. Her gasp was silenced by Shiala's mouth, although there was no quieting a louder moan when the older asari's fingers thrust past her entrance.

"Goddess-" Her back arched as Aethyta pressed to the knuckle, fingers curving against a particular spot that sent a pulse of pleasure through her entire body.

"Is it too much?" Shiala murmured, kissing down the length of her throat.

"No. Don't you dare stop." Benezia said hastily.

She could feel the matron's smile against her skin, then the subtle rasp of teeth. Shiala's hand traced the same path as Aethyta's but halted at the swell of her clitoris, fingers starting to move in circles against the sensitive bud. Benezia trembled as she tightened around Aethyta's fingers, the rhythm of the thrusts quickening to a familar and vigorous pace. Desperate for contact, she reached out to them both, feeling the ripple of tension every time their shoulders flexed, hands deliberately moving in unison.

Benezia couldn't form either name on her lips; she was lost to the overwhelming sensation of feeling two hot mouths against her throat, a more aggressive graze of teeth as strong hands reclaimed her breasts. She could only surrender as her hips jerked forward, a litany of gasps and moans escaping her. Each time Aethyta roughly thrust forward, Shiala matched it with quick, precise strokes against her clitoris, never deviating no matter how much she squirmed and wordlessly begged.

Any testament to endurance had long since been exhausted, not after Aethyta had spent the entire night driving her mad. This release would be a first of many, if it was like every other Janiris, leaving little reason to hold back. Crying out made Benezia cling tighter to both of them, fingers squeezing almost hard enough to bruise until she was simply gasping for breath and collapsed back against the bed. There was no other word for it but ecstasy, her eyes fluttering closed as her nerves sang.

When Benezia finally went still, she could hear the quiet panting from her partners, the barely caged need. Shiala's fingers slowed and Aethyta's withdrew with obvious reluctance, leaving a line of slick heat down her thigh. A kiss was all she could give to either until she found her thoughts, but it was matched with an indulgent smile.

"And what can I possibly do to repay such passion?" she murmured against Aethyta's lips.

"I have a few ideas." The older asari sat up, turning to face her completely. "If Shiala doesn't mind being patient."

"Not particularly." Shiala remarked, dark eyes traveling down the length of Benezia's body. "As long as I can indulge otherwise."

"Just don't rile her up so much she can't concentrate." Aethyta chuckled.

Benezia felt the shift in weight across the bed, but Shiala's descent was blocked from view when Aethyta straddled her chest. She tilted her head up to place a kiss against the older asari's pubic bone, hands finding their familiar resting place against Aethyta's hips. A rough pull drew her bondmate down and against her mouth, wanting the taste of her lover to fill her senses.

The gesture earned a low growl from Aethyta's throat. Benezia wondered if Shiala would be the same, demanding and primal, only to have a sharp reminder of the matron’s presence when that powerful grip pinned her hips down against the bed. She moaned at the forceful contact, trying to keep her focus on the older asari, her tongue parting swollen folds before she drew Aethyta's clitoris between her lips and sucked. A glance upward proved what she had suspected; both lovely, scarred hands were grasping for purchase against the carved headboard as Aethyta let out a groan of pleasure.

Shiala's attentions were in torturous contrast to the firm hold, lips and tongue teasing against her entrance, delving inside for a single brief stroke before retreating with a pleased hum. Benezia was somewhat sensitive from the first orgasm, which Shiala seemed remarkably aware of, focusing around the tight hood of her clitoris rather than making direct contact.

Taking a breath to steady herself, she summoned the first threads of energy from her skin, feeling the flare of warmth in her nape. Aethyta deserved to be sated just as much as she had, although she was loathe to distract Shiala from her task. There were other ways to compensate.

Her biotics traveled like a caress up both thighs, along the remnants of pale pink markings, until they joined in a measured pulse against Aethyta's folds, shifting into a semblance of phantom fingers right below her tongue. When the energy slid past her bondmate's tight entrance, Benezia moaned in sympathy, the sound echoed by Aethyta as the older asari tensed and shuddered.

She had long since memorized the primal rhythm between them, exactly how much pressure and haste Aethyta needed to find release. There were more than a share of gentle nights, ones she cherished, but it was that ravenous spark that had brought them together in the first place. Her bondmate would have her anywhere, even with others around, driven to sate them both even if it left a bruise or torn pair of panties behind. Aethyta never allowed her to hesitate, providing the goad she needed to take that breathless plunge into the full extent of her desires.

The energy moved out of instinct, each quick thrust paired with her tongue lavishing attention on the small bud beneath it. Aethyta's breath was ragged with exertion, legs tensing against Benezia's shoulders as the older asari's hips jerked forward, encouraging her biotics even deeper.

Shiala sensed the urgency between them, abandoning the teasing for firmer strokes, still keeping Benezia's hips pinned. Her heels dug helplessly into the sheets, the flex of muscle in her thighs not enough to break the matron's grip. She didn't truly want to escape, but feeling such an ache inside her again was just shy of overwhelming. There was little to do but gasp and pray Aethyta found release first, before she was forced to plead for mercy once more.

It was her luck that she had tried her bondmate's patience earlier in the evening. A breathless curse leaving Aethyta's lips was the only warning before the older asari cried out, hips bucking against her mouth, the insistent push of her biotics. Benezia thrust the energy to the edge of Aethyta's limits, her tongue circling the stiffening bud until she felt all the strength leave the thighs on either side of her. Aethyta's eyes were squeezed shut when her own flickered upward, watching the langour settle in.

The distraction served for a matter of seconds until the tight suction of Shiala's lips resumed around her clitoris, relenting for just a moment to press that skilled tongue back against sensitive flesh. Benezia reached down, only to find one of the matron's hands had long since released its grip. She clasped the one still holding her down, but it wasn't until Aethyta moved to lay down that she saw the path of the other, pressed between the matron's own thighs. Darkness had banished the green from Shiala's eyes, leaving nothing but a hunger she'd never expected to see.

She clung to the matron's fingers like an anchor, uttering Athame's name as she was struck by the same wave of bliss as the first time. Shiala indulged in each stroke, drawing out every possible echo of pleasure until she gently tugged at the younger asari's hand as a signal to stop. Shiala's lips were visibly slick with her arousal, and she caught a white flash of teeth as the matron's jaw tensed, attempting to mute another sound.

"Come here." Benezia said breathlessly.

Her request was met with a brusque kiss, and tasting both herself and Aethyta on Shiala's lips was a heady reminder of all they had done, all that was yet to come. She cupped Shiala’s breasts, wanting to offer the same affection that had been bestowed upon her, to learn the body that had been forbidden for so long. The matron went stiff above her, the only motion in calloused fingers between sculpted thighs, a gasp for breath cutting off a more vulnerable moan. Running her hands down Shiala's back, she was mesmerized by the energy radiating from every muscle as the younger asari rode out a quiet but clearly intense orgasm.

When Shiala finally relaxed, a self-conscious smile followed. "I hope you don't mind that I handled that myself."

"Not after the pleasure of watching it." Benezia murmured, one hand cupping the matron's nape. "Although the evening's still quite young."

"It is." Aethyta smirked, leaning over to steal a kiss of her own. "Think you can last until the sun?"

"Try me, lover." Benezia purred.

When she felt Shiala's hands seize her wrists, she realized the challenge may have been somewhat hasty, but nothing in her had the will to withdraw it. There was still too much of them both to explore.

\---

While the sun had only begun to peek over the horizon by the time their vigorous celebration had ended, it was perched atop the sky when Benezia's eyes opened again. The day after Janiris was a late start for all of Thessia.

Aethyta's head was resting against her breasts, one arm thrown across her abdomen, and wouldn't be roused until cold water was liberally applied if it was like any other year. The weight there was familiar, but it was a surprise to turn and see Shiala curled up against her side, head heavy on her shoulder in the depths of sleep. The matron was the earliest riser she'd ever met, always showered and dressed by the time the rest of the house began to stir.

The temptation to watch Shiala sleep came laden with guilt, although her curiosity eventually  won out over any misgivings. There was still time left to indulge. Her acolytes wouldn't be likely to return until the final rites of spring were held in the temples, and Benezia knew every other commando in her retinue was nursing a hangover somewhere in the city.

Shiala looked peaceful, the body that had fought - and even killed - for her softened in slumber. Benezia hadn't realized how accustomed she was to the firm set of Shiala's jaw, the unbending steel of a soldier's spine, until it was absent. There was almost a hint of a smile in its place, the only sign of aggression visible in the scars decorating a toned back, almost all of them healed smooth. She traced one of them with her fingertips, wondering its origin. Aethyta had similar markings on one shoulder from grenade shrapnel.

The touch was enough to make Shiala stir to consciousness. Benezia let her hand fall, eyes half-lidded as she watched the shift into a full stretch, putting the commando's body in glorious, unknowing display. Dark marks and grazes were shown in the sunlight on the matron's skin, mostly from her mouth, but a few from Aethyta's nails and teeth as well. When Shiala put both feet on the floor to stand, Benezia opened her mouth to speak.

Whatever lure she was to offer in order to draw the younger asari back to bed was silenced by the disarming sorrow in Shiala's expression. She watched as the same hands that had brought her pleasure lingered over the bruises left behind, hesitating for just a few seconds longer before gathering up the uniform long since abandoned on the floor and leaving the bedroom with soundless steps.

Brow knit with concern, Benezia slipped out of bed, letting out a surprised groan as her body protested with aches from head to toe. Some she could blame on the wear of age, but the others were courtesy of Aethtya and Shiala's attentions.

It took a moment for her to find a suitable robe in her closet, loosely tying the belt around her waist. While she didn't like to leave Aethyta unconscious and unaware on the bed, the matron's sudden exit took priority. She'd never seen Shiala look so openly wounded.

She found the younger asari in her own room, the leathers abandoned on a bed untouched by sleep. Shiala was facing a mirror, fingers traveling across a deep bruise before the matron was startled and turned.

" _Auma_ -"

Hearing the title on the matron's lips made her hesitate, but she still closed the distance between them, albeit without raising her hands to offer a touch. She couldn't be sure whether or not it was desired.

"There's no need for formality yet, Shiala," She said softly. "What's wrong?"

"I wished only to return the morning to you two." Shiala shifted, crossing her arms over her chest. "And not interfere."

"You wouldn't have interfered." Benezia frowned. "You were invited."

"When Aethyta asked me, she told me to show confidence so you wouldn't decide it was a poor idea." A weary smile curved Shiala's lips. "But it seems like a lie to her as well, to pretend that was the only time I wished to share your bed."

"And now?" she asked.

Shiala's gaze flickered downward. "Always. For longer than I've let myself admit."

Benezia felt a tightness in her chest, although it was paired with a subtle warmth. It hadn't been a lack of consent, then, but an abundance of desire.

"That's no source for shame." Her fingers cupped the matron's chin, tilting it upwards so their eyes met again. "Aethyta knows. It was why we agreed in the first place."

"You're bondmates." Shiala bit her lip. "Bound for life."

"Wasn't your oath for life as well?" Benezia leaned forward, claiming a gentle kiss. "You honored me. You still do. Athame herself couldn't make you stray."

That earned a smile, however small. "Thank you...Benezia."

She slowly let her hand fall back to her side, returning the smile. "There may be more than once if you keep your vigil."

A blush was an unfamiliar sight on Shiala's face, but something she treasured despite the initially tense circumstances.

"So noted." The matron murmured, clearing her throat softly.

"Shower and get dressed. I expect the house will be bustling by lunch again."

Shiala nodded, pressing her brow to Benezia's for a brief second before stepping back and turning towards the bathroom door. Before it opened, the younger asari quietly remarked, "There are a few markings on your neck you may need to cover."

Feeling a faint flush of her own, Benezia ran a pair of fingers along her throat, quickly losing count of the abrasions there. Thankfully a life with Aethyta had left her make-up kit well-prepared for such a circumstance.

The sound of water was her cue to return to the bedroom, where the matriarch in question was still asleep. Benezia stripped away her robe, leaving it atop the dress from the previous evening before slipping back beneath the covers. Aethyta had ended up sprawled even further across the center of the mattress, tightly gripping a pillow in her absence.

"My love." Benezia roused the older asari as carefully as she could, caressing across bare skin to soothe the ache of fatigue.

"Mm?" Aethyta's eyes slowly opened. "Did she run off already?"

She frowned again, shifting onto her side. "How did you know she would?"

"Because the first thing she asked me last night was if I would be jealous." Aethyta smiled. "I asked her if she would be staying the night or the whole weekend."

"Aethyta!" Benezia's lips pursed. "She was terrified that she had somehow ruined our relationship."

"Goddess." Aethyta rolled her eyes and then sat up. "I can go talk to her if you want."

"No, I think I consoled her." Her head canted a little. "Although I may have implied that she could be welcomed back...in another circumstance."

"Oh?" The older asari raised a brow, bemused.

"If that's alright with you." Benezia quickly amended. "It does seem like a shame for such pleasures to be once in a lifetime."

The back of Aethyta's fingers brushed gently against her cheek. "I have to admit, I'm kind of curious what she actually sounds like. There's no way she's always that quiet."

A laugh escaped her lips before she could stop herself. "Her attentions were rather...focused on me."

"My point exactly." Aethyta said, pushing away the sheets. "Maybe we can figure out the right time to turn the tables."

Leaning up for a kiss, Benezia cupped one of Aethyta's breasts, teasing across the soft skin. "Are you leaving me already?"

"Only for the shower." The older asari whispered. "But I seem to be needed here."

"Always." Benezia replied and drew her bondmate back down to the bed.


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks to J again for betaing this monster that has spiraled out of my control.

\---

Shiala felt a tremble go through her arm, jaw tensing as she tried to breathe through the ache. She closed her eyes as all the blood rushed to her head, counting down the seconds until she could finally relax.

"Now you're just showing off," Musahir muttered.

Green eyes snapped open as she placed her other hand back onto the mat, toes still pointed directly at the ceiling. She lowered her legs inch by inch by bending her back, finally planting her feet on the mat in a full bridge. Her shoulders felt like they were about to burst, the bitter throb of fatigue radiating through the rest of her body. Nonetheless, she kipped to standing with a forceful thrust of her heels and wiped some of the sweat from her brow.

There was a sharp clang as Musahir lowered the barbell back into place, taking a moment to breathe. The marine was soaked from the neck down, but Shiala wasn’t surprised. The temperature had skyrocketed in Serrice over the last week, and even with Benezia burning credits to keep the house cool, the heat seemed to seep through the walls, attracted by anything more arduous than a fast walk.

"Add more to the rack,” she said when the other matron got up, canting her head towards the weight bench.

"You're going to eat the damn fridge by the time we're done." Musahir chuckled and picked up a pair of rubberized plates, sliding one onto each end of the bar. There was a metallic click as magnets locked them tightly in place. "Didn't I hear you working out this morning with Jinan?"

Shiala shrugged and laid down on the bench, centering her body beneath the bar. "She's the one who wakes up first after I do."

"That wasn't my point." The red-marked asari raised a brow, shifting behind the bench so she could spot. "It's a lot of iron. You trying to impress someone?"

Taking a deep breath, Shiala lifted the bar from the rack. The weight was pushing her limit on a good day, much less after hours in the gym. It was a quiet day in the house, kicking off a rare weekend of leisure for Benezia. While the matriarch still taught her acolytes in the morning, there had been a lucky confluence of events when a pair of seminars were canceled, leaving the evenings free. That meant Benezia expected a measure of space with Aethyta, whether to take the skycar out for a date or simply enjoying each other's company upstairs.

Knowing that was what had kept Shiala in the gym since just after sunrise. It was for the best, really. Knowing lead to remembering.

A grunt escaped between clenched teeth as she forced out one repetition, feeling the burn of exhaustion through her entire chest. The second was somewhat easier until she pushed to the top of the rep, letting out a low growl of frustration. Musahir caught the bar with practiced hands, helping her place the weight back down.

She glanced at her hands, the callouses darkening the inside of her palms, skin flush with blood. It was a miracle she hadn't torn something open. Shiala sat up from the bench, slowly massaging the bridge of her nose. She needed to eat, if only to keep a headache from laying her flat for the rest of the day.

"Captain?"

"I've just had a lot of energy, Musahir," she answered wearily. "It didn't seem right to throw the rest of the unit around the room sparring when they finally have a day off."

"I would have gone a few rounds with you." The other matron laughed. "It's always worth it to find your leg halfway around my neck and wonder how it got there."

Whether or not it would have helped, Shiala knew it wasn't fair. Musahir was her lieutenant and a friend; using her as an object for misplaced lust was nothing but disrespect. This state wasn't anyone's fault except her own.

"I have an appointment with the kitchen if you'd like to join me," Shiala said, managing a small smile.

"I'd never refuse that." Musahir offered her an arm up, tugging her to her feet from the bench. "There's still a tray of raw _ekesh_ on ice in there."

"Not after we're finished." Shiala rolled her shoulders in a slow stretch and grabbed one of the towels from the floor before wiping her face. "And then a shower, I think."

Without the rest of the household there, she didn't see much of an impetus to set out full plates and make more work for the help Benezia hired. After Musahir pulled out the tray, she filled two glasses with water and sat down at the counter, immediately plucking one of the bright pink slices from the tray. It was cold, the taste edging on bitter, but Shiala had always been fond of _ekesh_.

Musahir gulped down most of her glass before refilling it in the sink. "You sure there's nothing you want to talk about?"

Shiala took another slice, shrugging before swallowing it whole. "There's little to say. I'm fine, Musa."

"Not the first time I've seen you pull a double in the gym, even this week." The red-marked asari took another sip. "That's enough energy to power a damn dreadnaught. You throw around more weight than most of the unit; it's not like you have to prove yourself to us."

"It's not about rank." Shiala sighed. "I'm just restless."

Musahir chuckled. "Then get out of here. Ask for a day of leave and go to the waterfront. There's a dozen pleasure houses waiting to ease your misery."

Shiala's brow knit. There wasn't a pleasure house on Thessia that could give her what she wanted, even if she emptied out her savings. While hiring a pair of matriarchs wasn't out of the realm of possibility if enough credits were flashed around, it simply wouldn’t be the same. Nothing was comparable to Benezia's voice when the older asari was begging her for more or Aethyta's nails drawing down her back and leaving lines of fire. They had left her exhausted in a way that no amount of exercise could emulate.

"I'll get over it." She drained away the water from her glass in one long swallow. "Nothing some sleep and a hot shower won't fix."

Musahir didn't bother concealing a skeptical look, but Shiala managed another smile as she watched the other commando start to eat. They finished off the tray in minutes, leaving the ice to melt in the bottom of the sink.

"I still have to go pick up my shotgun from the shop," Musahir said, grimacing once she tugged at her workout shirt. "After I change. You need anything while I'm out?"

She already knew what she needed; it was just out of reach, up the stairs. Shiala frowned and waved off the question. "Enough peace for me to sleep until dinner."

"I'll do my best." Musahir squeezed her shoulder. "Don't break the gym before I get back."

The house was quiet once the other matron's footsteps faded from earshot. Shiala thought about rummaging around the fridge for more to eat, but the final round in the gym had left her body heavier than lead. She cursed every kick she'd slammed into the standing bag earlier as she ascended the stairs to her bedroom, resisting the urge to strip until she passed the threshold.

Once the door slid shut, Shiala pulled her tank top over her head, letting out a groan of pain as overworked muscles loudly protested. Removing her shorts was just as agonizing, but both were abandoned into the same bin before she limped into the bathroom. Thankfully it only took a single press of a button to turn on the shower, already set to her favored temperature and a massaging pulse.

The hot water eased away most of the obvious aches, although there was no way to combat the exhaustion that cut her to the bone. Shiala scrubbed herself clean from head to toe before turning off the water and spending a moment of silence in the stall, nearly surrendering to sleep then and there. In most other circumstances, she'd never consider a nap during the day, but without anything else to occupy her time and focus, she dried herself off and slid beneath the cool comfort of the sheets.

Slumber would have come easily if not for the noise. Her eyes flickered to the far wall as she hovered on the edge of consciousness, the wall that separated her bedroom from Benezia's. Shiala knew the voices, even with the words muted and incomprehensible. She could only imagine what Aethyta was doing to make her bondmate hit that keening octave. The sound was like a blow struck against her senses as she bit her lip.

Perhaps Aethyta was kneeling between Benezia's spread thighs, tongue eager and willing, coaxing out pleas for mercy and the matriarch's sublime taste. Shiala could remember every last detail from the night they shared, feeling the older asari arch and twist beneath her grip. Her fingers had left bruises on Benezia's hips, but every apology she offered was countered with another touch, her mouth possessed by kisses that left her light-headed.

Shiala shifted onto her back, pulling roughly at the sheets. The silken fabric was too warm against her skin, the momentary friction enough to stimulate nerves raw from exertion. Her teeth almost drew blood as she bit her lip again, fighting the desire to simply listen and place a hand between her legs. It didn't seem right to play the voyeur without them being aware, despite Benezia knowing the extent of her desires. She hadn't asked for secrecy in the matter; it was likely Aethyta knew as well, but she didn't want to presume.

All she had to cling to was Benezia's fleeting promise of more. Shiala prided herself on restraint and control in every aspect of her life, and in regards to intimacy, it had never been difficult. Her maiden's lust was sated with fellow athletes and soldiers, staying casual but affectionate. The urge to settle down she'd been warned of for decades never came, to strike out on her own and start a family. She'd found someone else's household instead, taken pride in it was of her own blood.

While she had first been drawn to Benezia at an Athamist-Siari conference, of all things, it wasn't piety that had brought her to the matriarch, not entirely. They shared a great deal when it came to morality and reason, but there were sticking points best left untouched to avoid pointless argument. She needed a purpose, something to drive her beyond being someone's hired gun, as much as her commando experience had accomplished. Watching the matriarch speak, knowing the danger that came from daring to shake the foundations of asari religion, had led her to try and protect the older asari at any cost. Loyalty came easily; it was adoration that had weaved its way into her heart over time, living at Benezia's side. She had spent years denying it, stifling the feeling out of respect for both matriarchs, but having had a taste, however fleeting, destroyed every defense she'd built.

Shiala closed her eyes and pulled the sheets back over her body. Her arms ached too much for self-satisfaction, and even the thought of summoning her biotics to take their place was exhausting. Relief could come later, in one form or another.

\---

"Another plate, Shiala?"

She blinked and looked upward, drawn out of a private haze by the question. Her plate was indeed empty, as it had already been twice this meal. Even forgoing her morning workout, she'd spent the entire day ravenous. Thankfully Benezia always asked the chefs to provide an overabundance, well-aware that any leftovers would be scavenged after a day of training. Shiala wasn't sure if she'd leave anything behind.

"Yes." She blinked, realizing how distant she sounded. "If you would."

When Farizah offered back the plate, Shiala tried to take it with grace, briefly inclining her head to the priestess. She had devoured most of dinner without even bothering to taste it, despite the dish being one of her favorites. Her eyes kept wandering to Benezia, who was eating with similar gusto. Aethyta was more enamored with the wine than anything else, but that was always the case when the better vintages were opened.

There were only a few inches between them, the rounded corner of the table. Shiala forced her gaze back down at her food, taking a bite and slowly swallowing. It wasn't jealousy she felt; she didn't want to replace Aethyta, not when she saw how brightly Benezia shone in the other matriarch's company. Part of her simply longed to know if there was enough space at Benezia's left as her right. The term 'lover' seemed inappropriate, bearing a romantic but fleeting weight. Would it that she could be a companion instead, serving a private arrangement agreed to by all of them.

With Aethyta, it was different. Despite being laden with skepticism that the older asari would allow her to touch, much less thoroughly enjoy Benezia, Shiala thought had shared a vibrant enthusiasm. There was a competitive edge to be sure, but there was no recoil when their bodies brushed one another, no hesitation when Benezia bid Aethyta to lay back and watch them together. When Benezia was between them again, the older asari led her to every point of weakness, the exact places to provoke cries of pleasure and breathless pleas for more. Had she been an one-night inconvenience for Aethyta, a temporary partner in crime - as it were - or was there something more?

The elder matriarch provided no clues to what she thought. They'd had a brief discussion in the afternoon about security for an seminar Benezia was headlining over a datapad of blueprints, making notes around the perimeter. The questions she might have expected to rise over the weeks that passed, or at least a lingering look, had been absent. To Aethyta, it seemed like nothing had happened at all. Shiala had never known the older asari to be an enigma; everything was always straight and to the point.

She stiffened when a hand brushed her shoulder, jaw tensing. Civa, one of the younger maidens on staff, smiled down at her, unaware of the tension radiating from her frame. Being surprised had never suited her very well.

"Can I take your dishes?"

Shiala blinked, briefly dumbfounded. In her quiet fugue, she'd managed to finish off an entire plate by rote. At least she felt full this time - somewhat.

"Of course." She forced a smile. "Thank you."

Civa moved out of the way so she could stand, expertly stacking the dishes all onto one tray and disappearing into the kitchen. Shiala shook her head, wondering what excuse she could summon for her silence. Benezia remained deep in conversation with Aethyta even as the rest of the household slowly went their separate ways, but she wasn't foolish enough to think her behavior had gone unnoticed. There was little to say that didn't imply what had been on her mind, but she could attempt nonetheless.

"Is there anything you need, _auma_?" Shiala asked. "I was going to head upstairs."

Benezia smiled. "The fortitude to withstand having another glass of wine, perhaps. Would you wait for me on the steps?"

Shiala fought to keep her expression still. "As you wish."

Biting back a curse under her breath, she turned and left the dining room, noting Musahir's raised brow but refusing to make comment. At least Benezia seemed intent on speaking to her privately, which alleviated some of the potential embarrassment. Tempting as it was to simply slip into her room, Shiala paused at the top of the stairs, leaning back against the wall with her arms loosely crossed.

How would the matriarch think of her as anything but selfish? She had been allowed a once-in-a-lifetime chance and was now spending her idle hours moping like a child. More than one commando had been chastised under her command for being distracted by a lover, whether it was due to a quarrel or overt affection. If Musahir had noticed, there was no question that Benezia had done the same.

Yet she could easily count how many days had passed since Janiris, the sense of loss when spring became summer and the sun herded the household inside, but no further invitation came. The season was frustrating in and of itself with nothing but blistering heat; her basic training as a maiden had ended right on the cusp of the season centuries ago, sending more than one soldier straight to the hospital. There was nowhere to hide even if she wished for it, only the hope that her blood would cool with time.

Benezia's footsteps were a whisper up the stairs, attracting Shiala's eye. Even in casual evening wear, a simple cobalt dress with a golden clasp at the nape, the matriarch looked regal. There was a hint of makeup along high cheekbones, but otherwise Benezia had abstained from decoration, save for the subtle band around one wrist. Shiala knew the metal the bracelet was made from, forged never to tarnish, the inscription of love along the inside meant to be hidden from others’ eyes but kept close to the skin. Guilt left a twisting sensation in her gut as she averted her eyes out of respect.

"Were you going to bed so early, Shiala?" Benezia's tone was soft, quiet enough not to draw any attention from any who might pass by the stairs. "It's unlike you."

"Musahir seems sure I'll break something if I spend another hour in the gym." She attempted a smile. "And unfortunately, it's too hot to go through techniques outside."

"Unfortunately. There's a reason why most devote the summer to leisure."

Shiala felt her pulse quicken as the matriarch's hand reached out to trace down the line of her tricep, thumb brushing over the subtle delineation between muscles. She looked up to meet Benezia's gaze, finding it indecipherable.

"Perhaps I could get you something to read from my collection?" The older asari's voice had a warm lilt. It was calming, familiar. "You're never at your best when you're idle."

She wasn't sure why the words brought a flush of color to her skin, much less when Benezia's hand finally withdrew. Her tongue felt heavy, unable to form the questions she so desperately wanted to ask. Rather than muttering an apology or excuse, Shiala simply nodded, hoping that accepting the gift would avoid any further questions about her behavior earlier in the evening.

It was only when the matriarch stepped past her that the cut of Benezia's dress became apparent. She'd spent the day keeping her distance and hadn't seen the older asari until dinner, when they'd both been seated. From just above the flare of Benezia's hips to the solid gold clasp, the matriarch's back was exposed, skin smooth and untouched. Shiala remembered the fingers that had just caressed her arm encouraging her to lay back so her body could be explored, from the breadth of her shoulders to the core of muscle in her abdomen. As a point of fascination, it had been a torment in itself trying to keep still, something Aethyta had teased her about more than once.

The bedroom door had just closed behind her when Shiala's brow knit. All of Benezia's archives were downstairs, displayed so the priestesses could access them at will without invading their mentor's privacy. There wasn't anything to read here except the matriarch's very private missives.

Benezia's mouth meeting hers stopped every thought in its tracks. For a moment she was sure she had to be dreaming, that she'd collapsed on her bed and fallen immediately into fantasy, but the sensation was far too powerful to be an illusion. She returned the kiss until she had to pull back to breathe, catching sight of a sliver of black piercing through the blue of the matriarch's eyes. Letting out a ragged gasp, Shiala felt dazed.

"I apologize for the deception." Benezia's hand gently cupped her cheek. "But keeping secrets in this house is a difficult thing."

"Mm." Shiala cleared her throat, trying to gather her thoughts. "Aethyta-"

Perhaps it was strange for her to say the older matriarch's name first, but the last thing she'd ever wanted to do was drive a division between them. The notion of an affair was distasteful, tarnishing the trust she had already been offered freely. Whether Aethyta enjoyed her company or not, Shiala couldn't be sure, but the presence of them both was important.

"She'll join us in a moment...if you're amenable." Benezia's lips curved in a smile. "I had to be sure this was still what you desired."

"There's nothing I want more." The words tumbled from her before she could stop them, feeling a rush of warmth up her nape.

"Oh?" How the older asari could put such a teasing heat behind a simple utterance was beyond Shiala, but it was enough to prompt another fierce kiss.

She lingered in that close, breathless space until they were forced to break apart again, settling for their brows touching. Guilt continued to weigh on her thoughts, but it was difficult to cling to any sort of upset for very long with Benezia's hands slowly sliding up the length of her back.

"I know I've made you wait." Benezia murmured softly. "Sometimes I forget how time passed when I was a matron."

"Only a season." Shiala hoped her contrite tone would conceal some of her embarrassment. She didn't expect her impatience to be compelling.

"Long enough when the blood runs hot." The matriarch's fingers started to work slow circles beneath her nape. "And the weather hotter still. I saw you with Musahir in the gym."

Her eyes widened a little. "You did?"

"You seemed rather focused." Benezia's thumb brushed over the clasp of the leathers. "I didn't want to interrupt when I could simply observe."

Shiala hesitated, wondering if she could have coaxed Benezia and Aethyta up into the shower with her after Musahir left. The thought of hands both smooth and rough traveling across her skin, working away every bit of fatigue from her muscles under the water was more exciting than she wanted to admit. How simple would it be to fall to her knees afterward, servicing each matriarch gratefully in turn? Her fantasies were rarely so intense, much less explicit. When she felt such an urge in the past, it was sated in a pleasure house so she could return to her duties without being disturbed. Now longing was holding her by the throat and refusing to relent.

"Is that what you ask of me?" The question came out breathless. "To be observed?"

The shine in Benezia's eyes was a sort of mischief she'd only seen from the older asari before being stolen away by her bondmate; it made Shiala's pulse quicken to have it directed her way. She didn't think the question was strange, but something had certainly piqued an interest in the dark gaze locked with hers.

"First, to observe." Benezia purred. "Then to show me all you've been hiding."

"Hiding?" Her brow knit.

"You've drawn every sound of pleasure out of me, seen me vulnerable." The matriarch's head canted slightly, just enough for their lips to brush together for a fraction of a second. "And yet, you denied me the same."

There was no rebuke in Benezia's voice, only a weight Shiala could ascribe to lust, but she still felt heat flare across her skin, far too aware of the tight leather that separated her from the older asari's direct touch. She had always been quiet, even as a maiden seeking out liaisons with her fellow athletes. It was by necessity when opaque glass was the only thing keeping a coach from noticing a partner stripping her bare in the locker room. The habit persisted as a soldier, even when she earned her stripes, if only for the sake of propriety. Those under her command didn't need to know what arrangements she had with other officers.

Now it was instinct, even when she paid for her pleasure. A final shred of self-control, keeping her aware of her surroundings. How could she let go in a place that wasn't her own, when unfamiliar - if gratifying - hands were sating her? It felt like baring her throat to a knife.

During Janiris, it had been different. Her concerns regarding Benezia's safety were allayed when the matriarch was beneath her, when Aethyta was right by her side. There was no threat they couldn't overcome together - it was _safe_. That struck Shiala more than any singular desire; safety was an ephemeral concept, an ideal, but never something she thought would become reality. There was always a struggle, somewhere. It was why sleep was fleeting, why it always felt like there was electricity beneath her skin, but hadn't she awoken past the dawn for the first time in centuries in Benezia's bed, briefly stunned by the sight of the risen sun?

"I'll give you all I am." She bit the inside of her lip, considering whether to express her other worry. "Although it's not as easy as letting go."

"No?" Benezia's smile was bright. "I suspected that might be the case."

Was she going to spend the entire night blushing like a maiden? Shiala simply nodded in response, unsure what to say. The click of the door subdued any answer she might have summoned, drawing her attention away from Benezia's pleased expression.

Aethyta's approach held a caution she didn't expect, as if waiting for her permission to come forward. She offered a small smile, hoping the darkness in her eyes would become apparent as the older asari came closer. Benezia's hands traced down the line of her back until there was a tight grip on her hips. The shift in tension made her suppress a shiver, trying to decide where to center her gaze.

"Staying with us tonight, Shiala?" Aethyta asked, somehow making the question casual.

"If it pleases you both," she said.

The elder matriarch looked to Benezia then, and whatever passed between their gazes was incomprehensible to her. It was enough to prompt Aethyta to close the last bit of distance between them, feeling the warmth of the older asari's body against hers. Fingers quickly caught on the zipper of her leathers, drawing it down to the small of her back. The sudden motion was a surprise, but the only encouragement she needed to turn and claim Benezia's mouth in a firm kiss.

Shiala found herself stripped by the time her fingers sought out the older asari's nape, caressing over the subtle grooves there. She stepped out of the uniform completely, paying little mind to her bra being removed when she was opening the heavy clasp of Benezia's dress. The smooth metal finally gave beneath her touch, the weight of it immediately pulling down the warm blue silk until the fabric caught on the width of Benezia's hips, leaving the matriarch exposed from the waist up. Whatever marvel of engineering had managed to give such full breasts the proper support was beyond her reckoning, but it didn't really matter when she could finally touch and be touched again.

Tension rippled through her body when her underwear was nearly torn from her hips, the restraint of the taut fabric replaced with the pressure of Aethyta's roughened palms. Benezia moaned against her mouth when she cupped both breasts, offering a firm squeeze before starting to toy with the hardened peaks. Shiala felt like she was burning, that her fingers would ignite against Benezia's skin when Aethyta's tongue teased against the most sensitive point of her nape. She couldn't discern the reasons for such urgency, but the joint sensation of one smooth hand trailing up her abdomen, tracing the flexed muscle there, and gun-rough fingers groping the curve of her buttocks put any concerns out of her mind.

"Mm. The bed." Benezia murmured, shifting just enough for the cobalt dress to fall past the swell of her hips to the floor.

Shiala may have nodded or gasped her assent, but whatever signal she managed was enough to encourage the movement forward. Benezia slipped out of her grasp with a smile, retreating across the sheets with a surprising grace. The shiver that went through her at the matriarch's absence was that much sharper with the lure of a chase. Her knees eased against the edge of the mattress, Aethyta's touch fleeting between her shoulder blades.

Kneeling on the end of the bed gave her a moment to breathe, to find her center of gravity again. She reveled in the chance to take in the sight of Benezia's body in the slant of darkness, the pale light of stars through the window enhanced by the biotic glow of plants flourishing in the garden. It painted the matriarch in different shades of blue, turned the dark eyes leveled her way into polished jewels. A glance over her shoulder showed Aethyta in the same light, although the elder matriarch's build tended more to one of Kurinth's huntresses than a siren of Tevura.

"Raise your arms for me." Benezia's voice snapped her attention forward, the low timbre sending a jolt of heat between her thighs.

Shiala obeyed without a second thought, the slow stretch of muscle a relief in its own way. "Like this?"

The matriarch's movement was sinuous, quicker than she would have expected, slender fingers wrapping tightly around both of her wrists and pressing them together. "Like this."

Her eyes widened when energy sparked from Benezia's hands, a sympathetic tremble going through her limbs before a biotic field entirely encompassed her wrists. Even when the grip relaxed, she was still bound, the energy firmly suspended in midair. A subtle push from Benezia eased the field down an inch or so, allowing for a bit of slack in her arms, enough to prevent soreness from the position. Shiala knew the methods quite well - or to be precise, their opposite - after a century in the military. Rather than pain, it seemed as if the older asari was intent on exacting a difference price. When it came to physical strength, she was Benezia's superior, but struggling against a matriarch's biotics was an exhausting and often fruitless task in the best of circumstances.

" _Auma_ _?_ " She asked softly.

"Not here." Benezia's fingers drew across her lips. "I ask for your consent, but not obeisance."

She remembered the mischief in the older asari’s eyes, the assertion that she’d been keeping something hidden. Her promise would allow Benezia to move past the resistance she would no doubt raise as she was tested, pushed to the place where she would finally let go. Shiala smiled, thrilled by both the challenge and the ease with which the matriarch had captured her. It had been a cunning lure, one she would have expected from Aethyta before any other. Perhaps the eldest among them had more interest than she expected.

"Granted." Shiala shifted a bit, easing her knees a bit further apart to keep an ache from centering in her thighs. "What do you ask of me, Aethyta?"

There was silence behind her for a moment, then a chuckle. "You're taking to this a little better than I thought."

"It's not the first time I've been bound." She mused for a moment. "Although perhaps the first time in such attractive company."

A whisper of a step against the floor was the only warning before Aethyta's bare breasts were pressed against her back, well-toned arms wrapping around her like a vice. The older asari's tone was biting against one inset ear. "What's there to ask? I know you'll be begging for mercy by the end of the night."

The heat between them was of a different sort than she felt when she focused on Benezia. Shiala turned her head just enough to catch the hunger on Aethyta's face. It told her all she needed to know.

"By your hands or hers?" Her words were light, purposefully irreverent.

She bit down on her tongue to stifle a sound when Aethyta's nails raked across her abdomen in five white-hot lines. "Brat."

Swallowing down another retort, Shiala looked back at the other matriarch, who appeared curious at the exchange more than anything else. It certainly hadn't chased any of the darkness from Benezia's eyes. For a moment she wasn't sure who would take the lead, if her attempt to goad Aethyta had been the wrong tactic. Benezia must have chastised her for the thought, but the older asari had ambushed her first; it was only fair to be strategic.

The matriarch's nails lingered below the curve of her ribs, biting deep for a second longer before the touch was withdrawn completely. Shiala felt a chill as her back was exposed to the air of the room, her hands reflexively tensing above the bonds of energy. The mattress gave beneath her knees as Aethyta climbed onto the bed, although the aggression - the tease - she expected was routed when Benezia drew the older asari on top, the angle leaving both of them bared to her sight.

While she'd shared their intimacy on Janiris, it was one thing to view it from a distance, however small, and another to have it denied to her completely. She had already traced the path Aethyta’s hands would take in her mind before they were suddenly absent, steeled herself for the pain that would quickly fade to a pleasurable ache, leaving her well-marked by the matriarch’s attentions. Instead she was a captive audience, her own body displayed in turn while they sated one another.

A moan was torn from Benezia's throat as Aethyta's head ducked down, mouth and hands claiming both breasts with vigor. She could see the shine left behind on slate blue skin by the path of Aethyta's tongue, the visible tremble through flexed, spread thighs that followed. The glow of the biotics was just bright enough to reveal the slick heat between Benezia's legs, the ardent display leaving Shiala feeling flushed from head to toe. It seemed almost intrusive to continue watching, even as her eyes locked on the sparks of energy gathering beneath Aethtya's skin, her own trying to react in sympathy, only to short out at the base of her wrists.

As rough as their joining appeared at first glance, it was clear Aethyta had no other intent but her bondmate's pleasure, turning softer encouraging moans into the whimpers and gasps that begged for relief. Shiala's eyes met Benezia's for a fraction of a second, long enough to catch a teasing smile, proof enough that the older asari wanted her to ache for the touch being so flagrantly denied. She let out a slow, controlled breath to steady herself, mindful of the sound.

Aethyta's fingers traced a meaningless pattern down Benezia's taut stomach, lingering in the hollow of each hip long enough to provoke a shiver. When they delved lower, a surge echoed through the field binding Shiala in place, forcing her to hold her breath when Aethyta suddenly thrust past slick folds. Benezia arched off the bed, one hand grasping for purchase at a scarred shoulder while the other occupied itself with the elder matriarch's nape.

Energy jumped like an electric storm between their bodies, sparks joining together and growing until they were surrounded in a shared aura. Shiala knew exactly how good that could feel, the sensation pouring over every nerve, applying pressure against the most sensitive places. Restrained as she was, there was nothing to do but drink in the sight, to hear Aethyta's groan as Benezia manipulated the fields with slow strokes, using the friction to trace crest and thighs alike.

"Fuck, Nezzy." The hissed curse provided its own thrill, leaving Shiala caught between denial and the knowledge that, at least, her teasing had been brief enough to bear.

She knew the moment the meld was initiated; there was a mutual shiver as both bodies fell into sync, another pulse through her bonds gripping tight enough to bruise, just long enough to force a gasp from her lips. The matriarchs were lost in one another's gaze but she could see everything, feel the needy grasp of biotics from skin to skin like a teasing breath against her nape.

Every moan and sharper sound was echoed between their lips, the play and shift of muscle in Aethyta's back as alluring as the flush of pleasure across Benezia's breasts and sculpted cheekbones. Shiala couldn't decide where to focus, tracing the path of familiar hands and mouths in equal measure. Each kiss broke with a crackle of energy, and the white flash of Benezia's teeth before they sought out the rhythmic beat in Aethyta's throat and bit down tested her silence yet again.

The urge to struggle rose as their pace quickened, if only to somehow express her desire. Keeping still was maddening, moreso when it was paired with the thought of being trapped between them, unable to tell where one touch ended and another began. With a wry smile, Shiala realized she had put Benezia in that exact position only months before, pushing the older asari to the peak where sensitivity and exhaustion finally crossed. Aethyta had been just as relentless, upping the give and take until there had been a breathless request for mercy.

A mirrored cry was the only warning before their bodies stiffened, biotics shimmering with the force of release until the energy shattered back into sparks. Shiala bit down hard on her lip, although the flicker of pain only served as a reminder to how much the rest of her body was on edge. There was no stopping the shiver that went through her, the heat that had blossomed between her thighs as she continued to watch. Her breaths were as ragged breaths as the ones passed between the older asari as they slowly retreated from the meld, refusing to break contact until Aethyta's hand finally stilled. Cerulean abrasions covered the matriarch's back, a mark visible from Benezia's teeth in the line of a quivering throat.

"Goddess." She held back a slight grimace; the curse had slipped from her mouth unbidden.

Shiala felt the weight of their gaze in unison, the smile that leapt from one mouth to the other. She steeled herself, hoping she could school her expression into something resembling composure; to give up so easily would deny half the game. The distance only lasted a moment longer as Benezia moved into a languorous stretch, clearly more energized than exhausted from the meld. Shiala idly flexed her fingers, feigning a lack of interest until the older asari was kneeling right in front of her, separated by centimeters.

"You've been so patient." Benezia breathed the words, barely above a whisper. "Surely that's to be rewarded."

Briefly tongue-tied, she swallowed past a dry throat. There didn't seem to be a right answer; a denial wouldn't be taken seriously, assent was just one step away from pleading. "As you say."

"Have I left you so cold, Shiala?" the matriarch purred.

She didn't have a chance to answer before a kiss was offered, one she eagerly accepted. There was no method - nor a desire - to avoid being touched, it would just be a matter of holding onto control. Her lips parted against Benezia's, the split second tease of the older asari's tongue sending a bolt of tension right up the length of her back. Slender fingers started to caress her raised arms, starting at the flexed points of each shoulder and working upward. The feather-light touch stopped just below the trapped point of her wrists, the energy drawn towards the matriarch's hands but not releasing its firm grip.

There wasn't a single inch of her that didn’t welcome Benezia’s attentions, not with every muscle in her body warmed with arousal, her nipples drawn to taut peaks without even being touched. Even a glance between her thighs would lay the truth bare with her knees spread wide. Shiala risked a subtle arch forward, the reward of Benezia's breasts pressed flush with her own worth the amused murmur against her lips. The next kiss was even more demanding than the first, the older asari's hands drifting down to her ribcage to explore smooth skin and old scars alike.

Her gasp for breath became a moan when teeth suddenly sank into her shoulder. The sound was somewhat muted against Benezia's mouth, but Aethyta didn't relent so easily, holding the bite until she felt her limbs sag under the biotic restraints. She squeezed her eyes shut at the spike of adrenaline, pleasure chased with pain, caught between embarrassment and excitement that the matriarch had caught her off-guard so easily.

"Didn't catch that, Shiala." Aethyta's tone had an amused lilt. "Care to repeat it?"

While there was no stopping the rush of blood to her face, she could at least manage a few words. "I said maidens have bitten me harder."

Aethyta's laughter was warm against her skin as a kinder touch trailed down her spine. She tensed, waiting for the sting of nails or graze of teeth, but the slightly calloused fingertips continued their path, only hesitating to knead the swell of her buttocks. It was surprisingly affectionate when matched with soft lips against her nape, even the faintest contact there forcing her to bite back a groan. There was no true way to hide her face with Benezia in front of her, seeming content to watch and feel each unavoidable shiver with their bodies flush together.

When Aethyta's fingers dipped even lower, her breath caught in her throat. She had never been so wet in her life, made all too clear when the older asari made contact with slick folds, slowly spreading her open. Shiala's tensed her jaw to quiet a whimper, realizing Aethyta was using the same hand that had been inside Benezia moments before. Each touch was fleeting, circling near her entrance but refusing her the sensation of thrusting forward. The strain in her thighs blossomed into a more desperate ache, one that refused to be eased even when she shifted impatiently. Enduring the position wasn't difficult, but being teased and denied in a constant loop was maddening.

"She thought you'd give in by this point." Aethyta hummed against her nape, tongue swiping between two sensitive ridges. "I knew you'd fight me."

Shiala glanced at Benezia, curious if she was being put on, but the matriarch's bemused smile was revealing enough.

"Not for a lack of desire." She said breathlessly, a deliberate tilt of her hips pressing down against Aethyta's hand. "You'd give me hell if I gave you anything less."

"Such a competition, even here." Benezia tsked. "Perhaps I should intervene."

"As you wi-" Shiala was cut off by Aethyta's hand taking rough possession of her jaw, turning her head until the matriarch’s mouth firmly pressing against hers. The angle was harsh, but she responded in kind once the shock faded. For every touch negotiated between them thus far, they had never kissed.

It wasn't a truce because this wasn't a war, not anymore. It was an acknowledgement of need when the kiss broke, eyes dark with the hunger they shared. Even without a meld, Shiala understood, even if the thought was dizzying. Her lust for one matriarch had caught the attention of two. A few questions remained unanswered, but there would be time for them later.

"There's no need," she finally answered, looking forward again. "Although you seem more inclined to observe than anything else."

She could only hope the teasing lilt in her voice covered her dismay, even if she knew Benezia wasn’t as easily goaded. While Aethyta’s touch was exhilarating, it wasn’t the only one her body was begging for.  

"She's got you there, Nezzy." Shiala felt rather than saw Aethyta smile. "Making me do all the grunt work."

"Perhaps I was distracted by the viewing." Benezia replied, although the matriarch sounded anything but contrite. "Are you still willing?"

The older asari's concern warmed her heart, even if the rest of her was quivering with impatience. "Must I present myself further to make that clear? I am willing."

This time, when Benezia cupped her breasts, she didn't hold back the moan that rose in her throat. Aethyta's fingers slid inside her to the knuckle, the quick thrust making her hands clench into fists out of sheer reflex. Shiala's hips rocked forward, welcoming the subtle stretch and the softer counterpoint of Benezia's lips traveling down her throat, tongue soothing the mark Aethyta had left on her shoulder.

Her nipples were captured by slender fingertips and teased until the pressure earned a whimper, the sound hitting another octave when a biotic spark suddenly traveled down her back. Aethyta's power was a steady thrum against her skin, ready to break forth at any moment, but it never offered more than a caress before vanishing like a whisper between her thighs, where she had wanted it most. Shiala couldn't mute the frustrated gasp that escaped her, not with the insistent rhythm of the older asari's fingers making her clench tight with need.

There was no telling which part of her would be claimed next; Benezia slid further down the bed to suck sharply at her breasts, nails skirting across the frame of her ribs. Aethyta's mouth found the rough ridge of a scar, offering a kind worship with lips and tongue. When the fingers inside her curved, the jolt of pleasure resulted in a full-bodied shiver, only to leave her aching more when the initial swell faded. In every way she was teased and touched, it wasn't quite enough, and both matriarchs knew it.

Shiala could feel a hint of sweat between her shoulder blades, the knit in her brow as she tried to focus, to find some method of relief while remaining bound. The constant shift between the heat of contact and the chill of its absence blotted out every thought she could put together, until the softer sounds she uttered became a litany of moans, body arching to draw Aethyta's hips against her own and lure Benezia's mouth back to her skin.

The first plea from her lips was so breathless as not to be heard, color spreading across her face at the realization. How was she to speak with one set of lips on the pulse in her throat and another kissing down her stomach?

"Please." It was barely above a whine, the keening tone in her voice wholly unfamiliar. No other lovers had ever been so attentive, so intent on taking her to the edge and keeping her there.

Aethyta's growl came with a rough graze of teeth. "Louder."

"Goddess, _please_." Shiala moaned. The biotics around her wrists remained unyielding, locking her in place like steel.

Benezia rose up straight, although there was no sympathy to be found in the matriarch's pitch black gaze. She gasped as one hand descended, brushing lower by centimeters until the older asari's fingertips were just shy of where she ached the most.

"Sweet thing, ask once more." Benezia smiled. "Let me hear you."

"Please!" She nearly shouted it, heedless of who else might hear.

Those teasing fingers met her clitoris with quick strokes, the flare of pleasure instantly echoing through her entire body. She was seized by a shudder as her hips jerked against Benezia and Aethyta, the matriarchs' hands taking her in tandem. Shiala didn't care what words left her lips as the ecstasy built inside her, every nerve singing at the promise of relief.

With her eyes fluttering closed, she wasn't sure whose mouth was against hers until she felt Aethyta's teeth once more, marking the opposite shoulder. Benezia nipped at her lower lip in turn, provoking a desperate groan. Each breathless plea was cut off by a kiss until she finally cried out, the sound torn from her throat. Climax hit her like the breaking of a wave, leaving her senseless as she was suddenly overwhelmed.

Shiala's head was spinning by the time her eyes opened, shaking from head to toe as she drew in a ragged breath. She had collapsed almost entirely under the bonds around her wrists, held up by Benezia's will alone. Murmurs passed between the older asari she couldn't comprehend, the words unable to pierce the languorous haze infusing her thoughts.

The energy holding her dissipated by degrees until it gave way, and her body with it. Gentle hands encouraged her to lay down against the bed, head propped up when she shifted. She could breathe easier, watching the colors of the room become shapes again, paired with confirmation that she was on her side facing the window, cheek pressed to one of Benezia's thighs. The matriarch had a serene smile she felt her own lips quirk to match, leaning into the hand that reached down to fondly cup her jaw.

Before she could ask where Aethyta had gone, the older asari emerged from the bathroom with a tall glass. Shiala's brow knit with curiosity, but quieted her tongue until she was encouraged to sit up.

Aethyta pressed the glass into both of her hands, which still faintly trembled. "Have something to drink before you actually drop."

The water was ice cold, soothing Shiala's throat as she gulped it down. When she handed the glass back, the dizzying sensation had faded to a familiar but pleasant fatigue. Aethyta set it aside before climbing back onto the bed, encouraging her and Benezia against the pillows by tugging a thin sheet over their bodies. Shiala felt Benezia's curves against her back, expecting the other asari to join her bondmate, but found herself face-to-face with Aethyta instead.

With the darkness gone from the matriarch's eyes, Shiala was even more enamored with the concern she saw reflected in Aethyta's gaze. Benezia shifted to embrace her entirely, thumb idly stroking along the hollow of her hip. The gesture was soothing, the quickened beat of her heart finally leveling out to its normal, almost sedate rhythm.

She could have lapsed into silence, but it wasn't fair to pretend she didn't have questions. Ones she perhaps should have brought up the morning after Janiris, but fear had chased her away first, shameful as it was to admit.

"Is this where I ask what this is?"

"It could be many things," Benezia replied, mouth tenderly pressed against Shiala's shoulder. "Depending on your needs."

"My needs?" The question was murmured, almost to herself. "I would be the one intruding."

Aethyta scoffed. "If you were intruding, I would have tossed your ass out the front gate."

She fumbled for a moment, unsure what to say, what was appropriate to ask - to assume.

"I...enjoy your company. Both of you." Shiala quickly amended, even as another blush climbed its way up her face. "No matter the answer, my oath is unchanged."

"This is the only thing that would change." Benezia's fingers purposefully stilled. "When you desired it."

"This-" Her lips pursed in a tight line as she considered. "What of other intimacies?"

Aethyta's brow raised. "Such as?"

"A shower together in the morning." Shiala reached out, seeking Aethyta's hand to entwine with her own. Their callouses were almost identical.

"As long as you're staying the night." The older asari countered, squeezing her fingers. "I sure as hell don't get up before dawn, though."

Benezia's laugh was warm, joyous to hear. "I suspect none of us will."

"I...forgot to set an alarm last time." Shiala protested. "Although I imagine if I did, I wouldn't get very far like this."

One of Aethyta's calves pointedly slid between her own, trapping her leg. "Could always tie you down again."

"Only if you use _your_ biotics." Despite the laughter, Benezia's words were laced with exhaustion. "I may require a second breakfast in the morning."

Shiala shared a smile with Aethyta, who shrugged in a semblance of defeat. "I'd just have to do it the old-fashioned way then."

"Dare I ask?" Shiala felt fatigue suddenly ground her as well, pleasure giving way to how much energy had been vigorously spent. "Perhaps we could talk more, after sunrise?"

"It's a date." Aethyta lay down against the broad pillow shared between them. "How about it, Nezzy?"

"Mmhmm." Benezia sounded halfway into a dream, but the assent was enough.

After pulling the rest of the blankets over them, Aethyta settled again. In the dark, Shiala held the matriarch's gaze without saying a word. There had always been reasons for them to clash and argue, with lives lived so differently, but Benezia was the one subject where they agreed time and time again. Perhaps there were others, avenues she had long left unexplored.

Her eyes closed to surrender to sleep, but before losing consciousness, she felt Aethyta's brow press against her own. The three of them breathed as one, limbs tangled beneath silk sheets.


	3. Chapter 3

Aethyta cursed as Shiala slammed on the brakes, bringing them to a grinding halt just shy of the intersection. Three other skycars zipped by them in a blur, rich kid models by the look of them, with metallic accents and a frame that would crumple like paper if it so much as dinged a corner. She saw the matron shake her head in brief irritation, as the hovering traffic signal had gone red the instant the lane was clear.  
  
"Hold onto their licenses for a decade and they think they own the damn skies," Aethyta muttered.  
  
Benezia smiled. "And how did you drive when you were their age?"  
  
The howl of sirens picked up in the distance before a pair of police cruisers came into view, shining white under the morning sun. Seconds later they were joined by four more, following in pursuit. When the signal flickered to green, Aethyta braced herself as Shiala hooked left, blitzing past one of the more congested lanes before merging back into traffic. She knew the matron could probably force a dreadnaught into a bootleg turn, but sometimes Shiala acted like they were going through a warzone instead of Serrice rush hour.  
  
"I didn't get any tickets." Aethyta shrugged, gesturing back to where the cruisers had given chase. "Back then they'd actually throw you in lockup for the night instead of swiping a credit chit."  
  
She didn't mention the trick was driving so fast the cops never could catch up, although the teasing glint in the younger asari's eyes was telling. Benezia could read her like a book any day of the week. Aethyta felt slender fingers searching for her own, the soft brush of Benezia's thumb over scarred knuckles as their hands interlocked. It took only a brief tug to pull her bondmate into a kiss, although Benezia shied away after a matter of seconds, smile still intact.  
  
Aethyta's eyes flickered to the front of the skycar. Shiala's hands were both idle on the console, gaze firmly focused on the traffic ahead. The projected route holographically displayed showed ten minutes left; that was long enough to get somewhere. Her free hand edged against the hem of Benezia's summer dress, just above the knee. That damned smile remained on the younger matriarch's lips, as if daring her to go further.  
  
This dance had been going on since the early morning. She’d woken up with Benezia on top of her, coaxed to consciousness by a lingering kiss and the firm press of that wonderful body before her bondmate had slipped out of bed and headed straight for the shower. Said shower had been far too efficient for her tastes when she was welcomed under the spray with open arms, even if Benezia had attentively scrubbed her back. Every attempt she made to press for more, her bondmate countered, although she'd gotten as far as soaping up that glorious rack before the gasp she provoked turned into a sigh, a reminder that they had a full day of errands. A firm squeeze of both breasts earned a moan, then a promise that Aethyta would get what she wanted later, as if she hadn’t been the one lured into the shower. Benezia had escaped her grasp out of the stall, already starting to dry off by the time she realized her advantage was well and gone.  
  
Why it had to be _later_ was the source of her frustration. Aethyta didn't mind going out for the day despite most of the Serrice shopping centers being jam-packed, moreso on the weekends, but none of the errands Benezia had listed were of dire importance. Sure, Dr. Passante's birthday was in three days, but twenty minutes in the shower with their hands between each other's thighs wasn't going to get in the way of buying a gift. Hell, they'd spent just that long waiting in traffic without the benefit of any afterglow.  
  
Despite her fingers meandering up the inside of Benezia's thigh, tracing that smooth and familiar skin, her attention kept wandering back to Shiala, expecting to see some sort of recognition of what was going on right behind the driver’s seat. She couldn't tell if her bondmate was toying with her because the matron was there or in spite of it. Shiala's presence in their bed was infrequent, but that seemed to be because of the younger asari's surprisingly even libido more than anything else. Aethyta had never met someone locked up so tight, although Shiala never lacked for energy when she did come to their bedroom.  
  
She should have been jealous. It was hard to find reasons not to be, even if she had been the one to push the idea in the first place. Shiala was half Benezia's age, but even as a matron Aethyta hadn't looked like _that_. Her frame was solid, all the better for slamming her way through doors and skulls alike, but Shiala moved with a dancer's grace, cutting the perfect balance between flexibility and strength. She'd felt that lithe body every time they sparred, the power coiled in every inch.  
  
Benezia had a taste for warriors, the swagger of a commando, calloused fingers and gun-roughened palms that took what they wanted from the world. It wasn't appropriate for a peacekeeper, her bondmate had said after their first night together, before drawing her into another kiss. Aethyta had broken a centuries-long fast, and there wasn't anything she took more pleasure in than sating those tightly repressed desires. Could Shiala give Benezia more, even better?  
  
Her fingers tensed against Benezia's thigh, nails biting into skin warmed by arousal. It was only then that the younger matriarch put a hand over hers, slowly drawing her touch from underneath the dress.  
  
"Later," Benezia said breathlessly, and Aethyta ached.  
  
What she couldn't pinpoint was where things had changed. Shiala's devotion had always put justicars to shame, but loyalty and lust - and love - were different things. Aethyta never saw a threat in someone so damn polite, so forthright that the thought of an affair would be unthinkable. She'd seen Benezia's eyes wander for years, that flicker of curiosity and longing, and yet nothing had happened. Shiala's shock had been too real when Aethyta had spoken to her on Janiris, the silence saying everything before the matron asked if she would be jealous. Would they have stayed apart forever if she hadn't suggested it, or had she just gotten a jump on the inevitable?  
  
"Aethyta." Benezia's voice stirred her from her thoughts. "We're here."  
  
Shiala turned just enough to see over the barrier of the seat. "I'll be back to pick you both up for lunch. The reservation just went through."  
  
Aethyta frowned. "You're not coming in?"  
  
"She has another errand." Benezia's fingers brushed fondly down her shoulder. "I said she could go while we find the doctor a gift."  
  
The sharp blare of a horn behind them made Aethyta curse, unbuckling the belt across her hips when the door rose open. Wind whipped across the platform as she got out and offered Benezia a hand, noting the younger matriarch had to surreptitiously pull the hem of the dress back down to her knees. Barely hiding a grin, Aethyta heard the soft whirr of the door closing before Shiala gunned it, cutting back into the lane in a blur of royal blue.  
  
"And you were asking about my driving?" Aethyta shook her head.  
  
Benezia laughed, hooking one arm around hers. "I don't believe she's ever gotten a ticket either."  
  
Even with the breeze kicking around outside, the roar of traffic had nothing on the noise once they stepped past the threshold. A dozen open floors were filled with patrons and salesclerks hawking from booths and stores alike; colorful fabrics hung from massive displays, perfumes and cosmetics filled clear counters, and every other door was stamped with a guild seal. The Serrice art quarter was famous across Thessia, because almost anything could be bought and made on the spot. Aethyta had been impressed the first time she visited - Benezia had a krogan riteknife forged for her birthday by one of the smiths right before her eyes  - but eventually the place was just too many sounds, too many smells, and too many people to watch out for and keep her bondmate safe.  
  
Benezia's wonder never waned. Those bright blue eyes took in everything, lips pursed curiously while trying to work out where to start. Aethyta's hand tightened around her arm, dragging their path left a few steps when an apprentice rushed by with a stack of stained glass bowls, the ones on top swaying dangerously. Benezia didn't even hesitate, trusting she would be led in the right direction. Aethyta hoped her bondmate would pick up a taste for ordering off the extranet sometime in the next century; this was just ridiculous.  
  
"The...sculpture garden, I think," Benezia finally said aloud. "If not there, I think there's a painter on the seventh floor who has experience with Prothean etchings."  
  
"Doesn't Passante get enough of that at work?" Aethyta asked. "You'd think running the Archives for three hundred years would make anyone sick of the dead bastards."  
  
Benezia shrugged, steering them towards the elevator. "She's been offered a retirement pension twice and won't take it. I'm sure her acolytes are wondering the same thing."  
  
Aethyta coughed when the doors to the elevator opened, followed by a heavy wave of perfume. The pair of matrons inside - twins by the look of it - raised gilded brows in offended tandem before stepping past. It wasn't her fault they were wearing what smelled like ten springs' worth of flowers in a damn tube. The elevators were one of the oldest parts of the building and with rival guilds pressing in on either side, no one would give up space to have the cramped cars made wider. There was a service transport in the back to allow for artists and the largest pieces to move without interruption, so customers simply had to suck it up.  
  
The sculpture floor was a bit less crowded, at least, if only because everything in the galleries cost ten times more; any chunk of metal that could crush a krogan had to be worth a fortune, polished or otherwise. That's what Aethyta assumed, anyway. Nothing had a price tag displayed once you got past the new season's wines and pre-designed clothes on the lower levels and Benezia had a bank account large enough not to care.  
  
Her bondmate hesitated in the center of the broad hall, a finger pressed to her lips as she looked at the names of the designers etched deep into glass windows. Aethyta couldn't tell most of the guilds apart, especially when all the attendants on the floor were dressed in formal whites with the same sort of high-necked cut a priestess of Athame would wear. Standing for eight hours a day in heels waiting to help rich clients pick out their latest lawn ornament sounded like sheer hell to her, but it probably did a good job paying the bills.  
  
"Kyane does a lot of mythological works," Benezia mused, gesturing idly to one of the galleries on the left. "Perhaps she's in for the day."  
  
Aethyta smiled. "Wherever you want to go, babe."  
  
Benezia gently squeezed her arm, returning the smile. "I'll hold you to that, you know."  
  
The floor of the gallery was polished white marble, shot through with streaks of grey and blue. It kind of reminded Aethyta of a storm over the ocean, the type that sent everyone running for cover after the first strike of lightning. Maybe she'd spent too many nights at dockside bars, but the tiles were still pretty.  
  
Prettier than the sculptures in front, which didn't seem to be anything more than misshapen blobs of metal and stone. Her brow knit as she looked at one of the plaques; she was fairly sure Pania's crown hadn't looked anything like that. There wasn't even a way to wear it.  
  
"Oh, they have the Nomia here." The awe in Benezia's voice was unmistakable. "No, it has to be a reproduction."  
  
Aethyta turned, expecting to see more of the odd shapes, but the sculpture the younger asari was looking at was massive, taller than them both. She was surprised she recognized it, but Nomia was one of Benezia's favorite artists; she'd seen the piece several times in some of the museum holos stored in the library. It was four thousand years old and cast in pure gold. Benezia had told her it was commissioned for a temple, but where they could have put it, she couldn't fathom.  
  
 _Tevura Chased_ was its name, with the goddess in question captured in the embrace of Kurinth, the huntress nude save for the bow and quiver slung over a muscular back. Tevura was in a thin, flowing shift, the details of her body exposed under the metallic folds of fabric. One of Kurinth's arms held Tevura in a fierce embrace, and a gilded rope emerged from the base of the sculpture, tightly wrapped around Tevura's ankle, a trap sprung. Kurinth's expression was cold, nothing like the mix of exhilaration and fear in Tevura's face, the lithe limbs that eagerly accepted the huntress' tight grip.  
  
Benezia had told her the myth when they were curled up on the library's couch, half a bottle of wine already gone between them, fingers tracing the lines of the holo. Tevura had fled from Athame after a divine spat, and Kurinth had been sent to catch the wayward consort and drag her back. In the depths of the jungle, the goddess of travel wasn't easily caught, but eventually Kurinth found Tevura by the glow of her biotics reflecting off a pool of water. There, the story split, with one version saying Tevura seduced Kurinth so the huntress would go back with false news to Athame, the other insisting Kurinth took Tevura as her own consort for one night before they returned home.  
  
Either way, it sure wasn't like any of the stories she'd grown up on. Neither of her parents had been big on deities or ritual, but Aethyta remembered a lot about some big-ass thresher maw named Kalros, and her mother declaring her father was an idiot for believing in such a thing.  
  
That night was different; Benezia had woven the story in low, warm tones, until the holo had been abandoned entirely and she was drawn into a kiss. They'd spent hours indulging in one another, with the younger matriarch begging to be taken and marked; Aethyta had gladly given everything she asked for, and more.  
  
"It's a classic, isn't it?" A voice from behind them nearly made Aethyta jump, her jaw clenching tight.  
  
Benezia blinked from her reverie to glance at the attendant that had approached. "I've only seen displays. Is this the original?"  
  
"Yes. Kyane received it as a temporary gift from the temple that owns it, since Nomia was one of the founders of the guild." The younger asari smiled. "It's hers for the year, to honor her transition to the matriarchy."  
  
"It's lovely." Benezia sighed, and Aethyta felt her bondmate's fingers tense and relax against her arm. "I was actually hoping to speak to Kyane about a commission."  
  
"She's in her studio." The attendant gestured to a dark door in the back of the gallery. "I'll go speak to her."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
The soft click of heels faded once the younger asari stepped past the door. Benezia's attention returned to the sculpture, focusing on the golden planes of Tevura's face, and then Kurinth's rough grasp, biting into the thin fabric of the shift as if the huntress was about to tear it away.  
  
Aethyta tilted her head, leaning until her lips were nearly against the pulse in Benezia's throat. "We could forget about lunch and go home instead, you know."  
  
Her bondmate shivered. "Mm. We both need dresses for the gala in Armali. It's in two days."  
  
She let out a warm breath against Benezia's skin.  "I'm sure there's something in your closet that you haven't worn yet."  
  
"Nothing that would be appropriate." Benezia withdrew just far enough for their eyes to meet, a hint of darkness visible in icy blue. "And I won't forfeit a chance to see you tied up by the tailor, my love."  
  
Damn.  
  
Before Aethyta could come up with a counter, the door to the studio slid open again. Kyane emerged without the attendant, pushing a set of thick goggles over a dark blue brow that shone with sweat. The tang of fire and metal hung in the air around her, bitter but familiar.  
  
"Matriarch Benezia, it's a pleasure." Kyane removed the goggles entirely, grimacing before trying to clean the lenses with the edge of a well-worn black apron. "Melia said something about a commission?"  
  
"Yes, for Dr. Passante. I'd like to surprise her with something new." Benezia pointed to the sculpture. "I hadn't realized I missed your transition. That's quite a gift."  
  
Kyane nodded. "A reminder of my origins, as the priestess said. But I've been forgoing the matriarch title for now. It might convince the maidens scurrying around the guildhall that I'll be obsolete soon."  
  
Shoving the goggles into the pocket of the apron, Kyane canted her head towards an empty drafting table in the corner. "Tell me what you want and I'll make a sketch."  
  
Aethyta attempted to look interested, but her attention quickly waned after Benezia brought up her omnitool. The design was some sort of sphere that levitated, based off an archaeologist's holo, but following the conversation when it turned to materials and concealed mass effect fields wasn't really in her wheelhouse. It wasn't until she saw Benezia signing a datapad that she snapped back to attention, if only because of the number of zeroes right above the signature. The younger matriarch tried to avoid flaunting her wealth, but it was still staggering every time Aethyta was reminded.  
  
"The other half when it's finished?" Benezia asked, thumb poised over the print scanner on the datapad.  
  
Kyane tore the sketch from the pad, briefly holding it up to the light. "Of course. I'll start on the base tonight. Might be a little warm from the forge to get it delivered on time, but it'll be done."  
  
Benezia firmly pressed her thumb down and set the datapad aside. "I appreciate it. I should have made an appointment earlier, but there was some trouble getting the holo."  
  
Kyane shrugged. "You helped me host my first show, Benezia. I'd try and gild a temple in two days if you asked."  
  
"Hopefully that won't ever be necessary, but thank you."  
  
Aethyta took her bondmate's arm when it was offered again and turned to leave; Kyane was already frowning at the sketch with the look of someone tuning out the rest of the galaxy. Benezia let out a pleased sigh when they exited the gallery, heading back towards the elevator.  
  
"That was less painful than expected," the younger asari remarked. "I didn't think we'd make an early lunch."  
  
"Could still skip it," Aethyta said, trying not to get her hopes up. "I'm sure Shiala would be willing to pick up some take-out on the way back."  
  
"You want me to cancel reservations at Messina's so you can seduce me in the back of a skycar?" Benezia asked, that flicker of mischief returning.  
  
Aethyta's hand slid to the small of her bondmate's back. "You didn't complain last time."  
  
Benezia's quiet hum of pleasure made her tense. "That's because you didn't let me cancel, you rogue. You wouldn't even let me leave the house."  
  
"With a dress cut that low? I probably would have ended up decking the waitress for falling into it. The tip would have been hell."  
  
"Oh?" Benezia teased, stepping into the elevator; Aethyta was glad to see it empty. "I'll remember that when we're at the tailors'."  
  
Athame take her. Aethyta refrained from muttering the curse, but it was clear from Benezia's muted smile the younger matriarch didn't need a meld to read her mind. She couldn't remember the last time Benezia had toyed with her the entire day; usually it only took a few hours before she had a chance where they were both alone, hiking up her bondmate's dress and silencing every feigned protest with a kiss.  
  
"Shiala said she'll be at the platform in a minute." Benezia lowered her omnitool. "You should take advantage, you know. Bolster your strength."  
  
Aethyta's lips pursed. "For Shiala?"  
  
Benezia laughed softly before shaking her head. "By eating an actual meal instead of take-out."  
  
The wind was still wild when they stepped outside, but Shiala was already in front, the door rising with the soft hiss of hydraulics. When it closed again, Aethyta saw the matron reach over to turn off the onboard radio; she'd only caught a few words about weapons licenses before it went silent. The moment their belts clicked into place, the skycar shot forward.  
  
"Did you find everything you needed?" Shiala asked, pulling into the farmost lane.  
  
"Kyane was very accomodating." Benezia leaned against Aethyta's shoulder, eyes half-lidded. "What time is our reservation?"  
  
"I gave them a window. Earliest seating's in ten minutes." The younger asari glanced at the display.  "We'll be there in five."  
  
Messina's was right on the water, literally. Aethyta remembered the first time she'd walked across the bridge, watching as the sand on either side was eventually engulfed by the sea. The walls and floor were reinforced glass, letting customers watch whatever creatures got bored enough to bump into the bottom. That, or the chaos of the kitchen, although a clear privacy screen kept the shouts of stressed chefs and beleaguered apprentices from reaching the booths.  
  
Even in a nice jacket and trousers, she always felt underdressed in places like this, but at least she wasn't alone. Shiala was downright casual in a blue long-sleeved shirt and a pair of dark slacks. Then again, the matron usually never wore anything but uniform leathers, and Messina's wasn't so painfully upscale as to require a full suit. Aethyta wondered if Benezia had suggested the look; she would have told Shiala to wear that ragged old commando t-shirt and boots just to watch the servers cringe.  
  
It hid the pistol well enough anyway. Aethyta just knew where to look as Shiala followed their waitress to the table, the faint crease in the shirt that concealed the holster against the small of the matron's back. Her jacket was loose enough to cover the piece under one arm; she could carry a heavier caliber without drawing attention. She'd seen the salarian model Shiala brought out of uniform and it didn't look like it could drop a _manal_ , much less an assassin, but the matron was a crack shot with any pistol, alien or otherwise.  
  
Their reserved booth was three-sided and fairly cozy, angled to face out towards the sea instead of the rest of the floor. Benezia slid in first, with Shiala taking the center seat. It wasn't until Aethyta sat down that she realized Benezia was entirely out of reach, casually looking out at the water as if there was something more interesting than a few scattered fish to see. She held back a growl of frustration at the separation, but Shiala's attention was on the other patrons, scanning for threats. It couldn't have been on purpose. Probably.  
  
"Are the Alaran golds still available?" Benezia asked the server.  
  
"Yes, Matriarch. I can bring out a selection if you'd like."  
  
"That won't be necessary. I'll take the oldest you have." Benezia's eyes met hers. "Aethyta?"  
  
Downing half the bar wouldn't be hard at this point. "Ice brandy, neat."  
  
"Water, please." Shiala said absently, eyes still elsewhere.  
  
The served nodded and left a single menu in front of Benezia, who immediately began scrutinizing it. Aethyta was used to the younger matriarch ordering on their dates, if only so Benezia didn't spend half an hour translating the options. There wasn't any way just to get a damn steak once you got past a certain price point; everything was salt-encrusted or ten years marinated or fried on the back of a high priestess at the top of a mountain.  
  
Not that this was a date, technically. At least, she didn't think so. Sure, it was a nice place and Benezia was handling the meal, but they hadn't really discussed this sort of thing with all three of them. Shiala didn't seem bothered about not having a choice to order, and the matron's outfit was what what she would have expected if the younger asari ever went on a date. Not that she'd put that much thought into it.  
  
For all the overdone atmosphere, Aethyta was happy to note her brandy came quickly. She took a sip as Benezia's wine was poured, knowing the bottle probably cost just as much as the food would. Guilds in New Alara charged out the nose for exports.  
  
"We'll take the seaside courses." Benezia handed the menu back once her glass was filled. "You don't have any allergies, do you, Shiala?"  
  
"No." The matron shook her head. "Not at all."  
  
"Good."  
  
Aethyta was hard-pressed to look away when Benezia picked up the wine, the way slender fingers cradled it before dark lips pressed against the rim of the glass. She used to tease the younger matriarch about taking an hour to get through a glass, but that was before Benezia had quietly educated her on the pleasure of sheer indulgence. It was one thing for them to share a bottle, another for her bondmate to be pressed against her, explaining every hint and note in the wine with that voice, the warm tone that could make reading Thessia's economic highlights sound obscene.  
  
It had been an Alaran gold that time too.  
  
She drew in a slow breath, trying to focus on the faint burn of the brandy instead. After another swallow, Aethyta risked looking up again.  
  
"How's the wine, Nezzy?"  
  
"Excellent," Benezia said, lowering the glass. "Surprisingly strong for its year, but that's the charm."  
  
Her bondmate's lips quirked in a faint smile. "Would you like some? You seemed to have a taste for it."  
  
Now Aethyta knew she was being baited. It would have been easy to say yes, to feel Benezia's smouldering gaze as she took a long sip of the wine, but the entire morning had left her at a disadvantage. She had to regain some lost ground.  
  
"I'm good." Aethyta returned the smile. "Doesn't mix well with the brandy."  
  
"No?" Benezia carefully shifted; she felt the brush of the younger matriarch's heel against her calf. "How about you, Shiala?"  
  
The matron blinked, snapping to attention. "I'm sorry. What about the wine?"  
  
"You should try some." Benezia offered the glass, leaning forward enough that Aethyta could see straight down the front of the sundress. "I think it would be to your liking."  
  
She bit her tongue to silence the protest that arose. Shiala seemed caught between confusion and concern, like the matron sensed a trap but couldn't see the tripwire. When Benezia prompted once more with a tilt of the glass, Shiala quietly accepted, hesitating for just a second before swallowing some of the wine - a bit too much, by Aethyta's guess, catching a split second wince - and sitting up straight.  
  
"What do you think?" Benezia asked, not bothering to disguise a teasing lilt.  
  
"I don't have much to compare it to," Shiala admitted quietly, reaching for her own glass. "It's...stronger than I'd expect for wine."  
  
"We'll have to widen your horizons next Janiris." The younger matriarch gave a casual shrug before taking another sip. "There's plenty in the cellar that Aethyta and I haven't gotten to yet."  
  
Aethyta was sure for a moment Shiala was going to choke on her water, but the matron recovered at the last second, simply nodding. It took every ounce of effort not to laugh at the expression on the younger asari's face. Benezia had her all wrapped up since they first met, that she couldn't deny, but there was something funny about watching someone else being drawn under. Shiala was always so damn levelheaded; seeing that stoicism shaken up hadn't lost its appeal, even if it had been because of her bondmate offering intimacy so freely.   
  
Benezia frowned, raising up one arm. When her omnitool flickered into view, the call display was blinking.  
  
"I have to take this." There was a sigh, obvious dismay as the younger matriarch stood. "I'll be back in a moment."  
  
Aethyta finished her brandy in one swallow, setting it out near the edge of the table to be refilled. When she looked at Shiala, the matron had done the same with the water, looking only a little less flustered as a result. When Benezia was on the prowl, it usually took a bit more than just a glass of ice-cold water. Showers worked, sometimes, in her experience.  
  
"Need another round?" She asked, trying not to sound too amused.  
  
Shiala nodded, pushing the glass forward.  
  
Aethyta moved it the last few inches to put it by her own. Her eyes fell on the empty seat across the booth, noting the wineglass was still halfway between where Shiala was and Benezia sat. She picked it up, idly examining the hint of lipstick on the rim, the golden liquid still lingering in the bottom.   
  
"Is this a date?"  
  
The matron's eyes widened, stunned silent for a minute or two. "Goddess, I have no idea."  
  
She couldn't hold back a laugh that time. "Well, as long as we're both in the same boat."  
  
Watching the younger asari relax back into silence, Aethyta set the glass back down as their server returned, replacing both of their drinks without a word. She passed the water back to Shiala before looking out past the clear walls to the roiling sea. Benezia was playing some sort of game, the kind where winning or losing would feel good, but goddess, she couldn't decide what she wanted.   
  
There were too many unanswered questions, most of them about the matron to her right. Aethyta knew she could have asked. It wasn't as if she thought Shiala would lie to her. The younger asari was a sight too stubborn and righteous some days, but also the worst liar she'd ever met. The problem was, she wasn't sure if she wanted the forthright kind of answers the commando would give.  
  
By the time Benezia returned, her brandy was almost gone again. The waves outside had calmed, bringing a school of brightly colored fish that idled under the floor, scattering in every direction when the server approached with their meal. Benezia spread a napkin across her lap, mood just as bright as before.  
  
"Important call?" Aethyta asked as a polished tray was set in front of them. The center of the table was such that it could be spun, allowing everyone at the table to try everything.  
  
"The good doctor being pleased I accepted her invitation. I forget how easy it is to lose track of time with her." Benezia said, looking over the appetizer.  
  
More than a dozen soft-shelled _eysa_ , already opened and meant to be eaten raw, surrounded a smaller plate of golden roe, cut from saltwater _sarchis_. The latter was particularly hard to get ahold of; _sarchis_ craved the ocean depths and had venomous spikes half the length of an asari's arm, but that just made it more of a delicacy on Thessia. Small cups of citrus juices and vinegar were tucked around the tray, nearly full enough to spill over their confines.  
  
"Is there anything else you require, Matriarch?" the server asked.  
  
"Full glasses wouldn't be amiss," Benezia replied lightly. "Otherwise, no, thank you."  
  
Aethyta wasn't going to refuse more brandy, although Shiala seemed inclined to avoid the wine. She picked up one of the _eysa_ , taking it from its shell in one bite. They were just as good fried from the carts on the docks in her opinion, but far be it from her to turn them down this way. How they were supposed to eat the roe without utensils escaped her until she saw Benezia scoop some up with the edge of the shell, letting out a pleased hum at the taste.  
  
"Isn't this-" Shiala's voice trailed off.  
  
"What?" Aethyta looked up. The matron's expression  was unreadable.  
  
Shiala glanced at Benezia, who gave only the faintest nod in response. She wouldn't have caught it if she hadn't looked up at the right moment, but it was hard not to be curious.  
  
"Mm." The younger asari cleared her throat. "An aphrodisiac."  
  
Aethyta chuckled, picking up another one of the _eysa_. "And where did you learn that?"  
  
Shiala's cheeks turned a brilliant shade of purple before there was a soft murmur of, "another part of the waterfront."  
  
She hid another laugh behind a sip of brandy. The matron blushed in a way she wasn't used to, far too easily provoked for a hardened soldier. It had just been a week ago when they had been going over tactics for the upcoming gala, distributing roles out to the unit and double-checking final details. Once the rest of the rest of the commandos had left, Shiala had asked her if she thought the instructions were clear.  
  
Maybe it had been cruel, but Aethyta hadn't been able to stop herself. _You could try being a bit louder_ was all it took for Shiala to freeze and blush almost to the top of her crests. She wouldn't have said it with the rest of the unit around, of course, even if she was risking the matron decking her then and there. It would have been worth it for the scuffle to follow; Shiala always put up one hell of a fight, and not one Aethyta was guaranteed to win.  
  
Despite the hesitation, it didn't take long for the appetizer to vanish between the three of them, only to be replaced by bowls of _saviir_ , steam billowing from the spiced broth. Aethyta felt her eyes tear up with the first bite, but the soup was delicious. The brandy didn't do much to cool her tongue; neither did the gulp she took from Shiala's offered glass of water. She had taken it without thinking, offering a thank you when Benezia raised a brow.  
  
The final dish was herb-marinated _ziphia_ , with the piping hot fish meant to be wrapped in the green _t'aia_ leaves served underneath. Aethyta was surprised to hear Shiala laugh when she dropped one of the pieces, cursing when it nearly singed her fingers. Benezia's murmur about not burning her tongue made the matron turn colors again, until all of them were trying not to laugh and fumble the food. The slight buzz from the brandy and wine didn't hurt the moment, although she knew Shiala was stone cold sober.  
  
"Matriarch Benezia?" a voice came from her left.  
  
Aethyta reached into her jacket for her pistol; Shiala immediately stiffened and dropped both hands beneath the table. She had been too involved in the meal to notice anyone approach , although she relaxed a fraction at the sight of an asari that didn't seem to be more than maiden age. Then again, that didn't necessarily make for a less capable killer.  
  
Benezia put on a professional smile, delicately countering their raised hackles. "Yes?"  
  
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt." The maiden shifted uncomfortably, flushed behind violet markings.  
  
"It's no trouble." Benezia said smoothly. "What's your name?"  
  
"Kura. Kura T'Gen," The maiden answered, her next words tumbling out in a rush. "I'm taking my vows next week at the First Temple of Serrice. I just wanted to thank you. Your speech on the Siari-Athamist schism is why I decided to pursue religious studies."  
  
Benezia took the words in stride, smile widening. "It's always an honor to hear that my words have touched someone, Kura. Are you looking to become a scholar or a priestess?"    
  
"Both, I hope." Kura answered, looking a little less spooked. "I wrote my thesis on the founding of the Justicar orders and how they've evolved alongside theological divides."  
  
"That's excellent. If it's been published, I'd love to read a copy."  
  
Kura nodded enthusiastically, but the maiden's next words cut off by the approach of a slightly harried matriarch. Aethyta frowned, keeping a firm grip on her pistol. She knew the older asari's face from somewhere, but the name was escaping her.  
  
"Kura, who are you-" The matriarch hesitated. "Matriarch Benezia."  
  
"Guildmistress Nelisa." Benezia slightly inclined her head. "Your daughter was telling me she's swearing into Athame's service."  
  
"Yes." Nelisa's voice held nothing but pride. "The calling suits her well."  
  
Aethyta finally let her hand relax inside her jacket, but the gesture was enough to catch Nelisa's attention. The fact that Shiala still looked ready to jump across the table at a moment's notice probably didn't help either.  
  
"We'll leave you to your meal. Thank you for indulging Kura."  
  
"It was my pleasure, Nelisa." Benezia said.  
  
When both mother and daughter were out of sight, Aethyta relaxed back against the booth, shaking her head. "Maybe we should handle the check."  
  
Shiala firmly tugged the back of her shirt down. "Agreed."  
  
Benezia's sigh was soft but long-suffering as she brought up her omnitool to pay the bill. Aethyta knew her bondmate hated that she went armed everywhere, much less having to keep an entire stable of guards around, but there were just too many zealots and stalkers traipsing around Thessia for it to ever be otherwise. She shifted to get out of the booth, double-checking the safety on her pistol out of habit. Better awkward than dead.  
  
Silence lay between them until they were back across the bridge to the skycar lot. Shiala slid into the driver's seat without a word and Aethyta bit back a curse. If she'd skipped the brandy, she might have had an excuse to drive and taken the quick way home without going near the tailor's. Benezia would have her wrapped up in fabric for hours.  
  
"Same schedule?" Shiala's eyes were focused on their surroundings as the skycar rose, but the question was clearly directed to Benezia.  
  
"Yes." The younger matriarch glanced at Aethyta, as if expecting a protest. "I already told Iaera we had a busy day. If you don't fidget too much, we'll be out of the clothier's stall in no time."  
  
"You always say that," she muttered. "Then something doesn't drape right or my shoulders are sticking out too much."  
  
Benezia turned, placing a deliberate kiss against her jacket where muscle lay beneath. "Your shoulders are gorgeous, and I'll make sure she's well-aware of it."  
  
Aethyta felt the comeback on her tongue turn to gibberish. With anyone else, she'd assume she was being placated, getting her ego fluffed as a prelude to shutting up, but Benezia was entirely earnest. She'd learned that truth time and time again as the years went by, the way her bondmate approached her body like it was something to be worshipped. There were still too many days where she waited for the other shoe to drop, that she was too old, too rough to have exchanged bracelets with Benezia T'Soni.  
  
She pressed a soft kiss to the younger matriarch's brow, rewarded by Benezia slipping a hand inside her jacket, simply for the sake of contact. Another shift put an arm around her bondmate's waist and she let her eyes close to the quiet hum of the engine. For all the jokes she'd make about Shiala's driving, the ride was smooth, even if she was pretty sure she didn't want to check the speedometer.  
  
When the skycar glided to a halt, Aethyta sat up, accidentally jostling a dozing Benezia. The younger asari looked a bit flushed before withdrawing to bring up a reflective screen on her omnitool, ensuring that neither lipstick nor any other makeup had been displaced.  
  
"You look perfect," Aethyta said, rubbing her hand against Benezia's back before unbuckling the belt at her hips.  
  
"Flatterer," Benezia chuckled, lowering the omnitool. "Walk in with your head held high, mm?"  
  
She sighed and got out, looking at Shiala when the matron closed the driver's side door. "You're not getting fitted for this damn thing too, are you?"  
  
The younger asari shook her head. "Formal leathers, same as always."  
  
"Enjoy the sideshow, then," Aethyta growled.  
  
Iaera's boutique didn't stand out from any of the other custom fashion houses on the row, but that was half the point. Independent asari designers lived off reputation and recommendations instead of public advertising, usually from matriarchs like Benezia. Aethyta hadn't understood why it really mattered until she'd seen an extranet article detailing the her bondmate’s clothes at a controversial panel down to the accessories; even her outfits were political, including who she let make them.  
  
A harried apprentice directed them through the front room, where jewelry, shawls, and any number of other pieces were displayed under too-bright lights. The short hall had entryways to several different rooms, cut off from one another by thick, dark curtains. Iaera herself emerged from the farthest on the left, arms laden down with bolts of fabric and trim. She was a century shy of Benezia's age, but Aethyta thought Iaera carried herself like a stereotypical matriarch, humorless and full of steel.  
  
"Benezia, excellent." Iaera's tone was clipped, salarian quick. "Both of you into the back right room, please, I'm still sorting colors."  
  
Aethyta found herself shuffled forward, with Shiala trying to find somewhere out of the way to stand. The matron ended up in the corner niche near the curtain of their room, but it was just about the only place where apprentices weren't running past with trays of pins and precision-guided scissors clutched in hand.  
  
Once they were past the curtain, Benezia slid it closed. Aethyta reluctantly removed her jacket and hung it up, watching as her bondmate removed a citrine-heavy bracelet and choker, leaving the slender band they shared in place. Her fingers paused at the hem of her shirt when Benezia stepped out of the bright sundress and heels, leaving the younger matriarch in nothing but a silken set of bra and panties. The pale lingerie strained against both full breasts, dark nipples almost visible under the opaque cups, eventually leading her gaze down a smooth stomach and the familiar but ever-alluring swell of her bondmate's hips.  
  
"Goddess, you're going to kill me." Aethyta hadn't meant to say it out loud, but even just above a whisper, Benezia had heard.  
  
"Finish getting undressed or Iaera will chastise you." Benezia idly took in her own appearance in the mirrored wall behind them before her gaze met Aethyta's in the reflection. "Which is meant to be my job."  
  
It took every ounce of willpower to strip off her shirt and set it aside rather than continuing to stare, but by the time Iaera returned, she was undressed and the clothier was all business. Aethyta stood still as Iaera took digital measurements with a small silver device, muttering notes on color and style she caught every other word of. It took only a few minutes, but having her arms raised and hips turned and every other damned angle Iaera had to check made her want to grind her teeth.  
  
"No changes. Good." The matron clicked something on the device with her thumb. "Benezia, I have some Armali fabrics that just came in. Black and white between you both, some metallic accents, sharp angles. Queen Quirezia and her huntress-consort. It will be ravishing, darling."  
  
"You know I trust your judgment, Iaera," Benezia answered, stepping into the center of the room so she could be measured as well.  
  
"Trust, yes, but I want you to wear it with pride." Iaera hissed briefly through her teeth, clicking the device again. "A little growth in the bust, but otherwise the same. I'll start cutting the pieces and you can look at the sketches, mm?"  
  
Benezia nodded and Iaera disappeared back behind the curtain. There was some shuffling and shouting before the matron reemerged with a holo, pressing it firmly into Benezia's hand.  
  
"It has all the dimensions in there, both outfits. Yell for me if there is a problem."  
  
With that said, Iaera vanished again, snapping out orders the moment she was past the curtain. Benezia activated the holo and two images sprung from the projector, the display nearly a foot high. Aethyta raised a brow at the one that was tagged with her name. The top was sleeveless with a halterneck, although it went with a tailored set of slacks and a pair of black gloves to cover her palms and wrists. While the shoes were a touch higher than she usually liked, she had been expecting Iaera to stick her in a dress to match Benezia.  
  
"It almost looks practical," She said, hard-pressed to hold back her surprise. "Neckline's a little low."  
  
Benezia was carefully manipulating the holo, turning it to see the entire shape of the dress. It certainly had sharp angles, but the younger matriarch would look striking in the dark sheath of fabric, the cut revealing a stark layer of white in all the places asari usually found it stylish to expose, primarily slices of the torso or extensive cleavage. By the amount of skin alone, it was definitely clear who was the queen and who was the consort, but Aethyta didn't really mind the discrepancy.  
  
"I like it." Benezia smiled, widening her fingers to make the holo zoom in on the details of the jewelry. "And it will show off your shoulders."  
  
Aethyta nodded. "Anything you don't like?"  
  
The younger matriarch shrugged. "Apparently flowing lines are in this season and Iaera feels like being contrary. She's never put me in anything I've had cause to complain about later."  
  
Aethyta stifled a sigh of relief. They'd have to stay for the actual fitting, but without any alterations, Iaera would usually shoo them out as quickly as possible afterwards to focus on detail work. That meant this day could finally be over.  
  
"How long do you think she's going to be out there?" She asked.  
  
"I'm not sure-" Benezia bit her tongue, catching herself. "Mm. Not that long."  
  
"I don't have to get you undressed." Aethyta drew her fingers down her bondmate's back, enjoying the shiver that followed. "Wouldn't even need a meld to get you there in five minutes."  
  
"Someone's confident," the younger matriarch answered, breath catching just loud enough to hear. "But she's walking back this way."  
  
Aethyta withdrew her hand, cursing Athame and every other divinity she could come up with. Iaera came in seconds later with an apprentice, who swayed under a stack of black and white cloth. The matron gestured to Benezia first, so she got out of the way as best she could, sitting on the low, padded bench that was too damn cold to be half-naked on.  
  
She  wasn't sure how Benezia could be so patient when it came to being fiddled with, allowing Iaera to turn her head this way and that, yet listening intently to the clothier rattling off about the stones that would be used in the necklace, the origins of the platinum it would be set in. The outline of the dress came together as darts were tucked in place, loose seams making a temporary shape, enough of one for Iaera to critique and change if need be. Each white panel was pinned in place, with another apprentice coming into the room to ensure the proper size for Benezia's shoes. It was a whirlwind of activity, chaotic enough that Aethyta was quietly impressed that none of them had put an elbow in anyone else's ribs.  
  
Striking was the first word she'd thought, but _stunning_ was what came to mind when the last quick seam was finished, tightening the bodice. Benezia was finally allowed to move, using the angled mirrors to take in the length of the dress. Even as a prototype, the tight lines and harsh contrast of colors made the younger matriarch look imperious, powerful. Benezia usually downplayed her strength for the sake of being the mediator, but this gala was going to be boiling over with military types, and the dress made her bondmate into a weapon, polished and ready to deal out punishment.  
  
"Good." Iaera walked a circle around Benezia, brow knit in concentration. "And the necklace will make everything shine. No one will be able to look away."  
  
"Masterful as always, Iaera." Benezia made one more full turn. "Can I take it off?"  
  
"Yes. Just keep still a moment."  
  
With a gesture from the matron, the apprentices came forward, withdrawing the pins that already had their places marked. The dress came apart in pieces, each one carefully stacked on top of the other in Iaera's waiting arms. When Benezia was left in nothing but that damnably tempting lingerie, Iaera left to get the second set of fabrics.  
  
As tempted as Aethyta was try her luck again, she had barely stood before the matron swept back into the room. Iaera encouraged her to raise her arms before the skeleton of the shirt was slipped over her shoulders, quick hands making adjustments to start tailoring the sides to her torso and waist. The neckline was definitely lower than she was used to when she hazarded a glance in the mirror, but the cut was narrow enough that she wouldn't fall out of it if having to run in those shoes made her stumble.  
  
By the time the slacks were fit, a swathe of fabric cut for the sash and tied loosely around her hips, Aethyta was more than tired of standing like a statue. There was little to do but listen to Iaera's whiplash fast mumbling or watch Benezia get dressed out of the corner of her eye, the latter more frustrating than anything else. She didn't think there were any errands left after this, but even waiting out the drive home made her jaw tighten. Benezia had been an incessant tease, luring her out only to shy away when she was roused. Maybe she could talk Shiala into pulling over somewhere dark and quiet, just long enough to make a point.  
  
"Benezia, yes?" Iaera asked, taking a step back.  
  
Despite her playing clothes dummy, the younger matriarch was Iaera's client. Aethyta was sure the matron probably didn't want to hear her opinions on high fashion, anyway. The look definitely could have been worse. She had mobility if she chucked the shoes, and there might even be space to fit a ballistic plate or two in the right places.  
  
"Oh, yes." Benezia put a finger to her lips, examining Aethyta from head to toe. "And there's enough room for...a sidearm?"  
  
Iaera nodded, clicking her tongue. "In the small of the back like before."  
  
"Perfect. I don't want to change a thing."  
  
"Her necklace will match. A few hints in the gloves as well." Iaera said, directing the apprentices to start removing the pins again. "Come tomorrow and we'll settle things."  
  
"Thank you, Iaera." Benezia took a step back, out of the way of the shuffle of fabric and shoes being piled back into boxes.  
  
"It's always a pleasure to see you well-attired." The matron waved away the gratitude. "I'll be in the first room putting things together if you need anything. Otherwise, you can go."  
  
Aethyta let out a slow breath once the last piece was taken away, rolling the stiffness out of her shoulders. The apprentices left no sign they were ever there, taking every last dart and marking pen with them. Iaera followed the pair out, yanking the curtain closed and turning down the hall. Aethyta could see the very tips of Shiala's shoes underneath the folds of the curtain, but as far as she could tell, the matron hadn't moved an inch the entire time.  
  
Benezia offered up her shirt, the faint smile that had stayed in place becoming a smirk, chased by a spark of desire. Aethyta took it from the younger matriarch's hand with a yank, watching that spark grow even brighter. She pulled the shirt over her head, keeping her eyes locked on Benezia, who handed her trousers over without a word. It was in that split second when her bondmate looked away the third time, meaning to reach for the holster to her pistol, that Aethyta shoved Benezia back against the closest wall.  
  
She silenced the gasp that followed with a rough kiss, claiming Benezia's mouth with lips and tongue and teeth until her hands found both breasts and tightly squeezed. The sundress was thin enough that she could tear it open with a single pull, but feeling her knee press against the padded bench was a reminder enough of where they were. Her fingers trailed down the bright fabric, feeling the muscles go taut in Benezia's stomach with a sharp inhale. Darkness chased the blue from her bondmate's eyes when she seized the hem of the dress and hiked it up over generous hips.  
  
"Aethyta-" Benezia began, her name ending on a moan.  
  
"You've been teasing me all damn day." She kept their gazes locked, exploring until her palms met silk, the firm curve of the younger asari's ass. "Shiala too. I thought she was going to swallow her tongue over the wine."  
  
"She can hear us," Benezia said breathlessly, but it was hard to take the protest seriously when there was suddenly a hand cupping her nape, seeking out the most sensitive ridges.  
  
"I want her to hear us," Aethyta growled, feeling the ache double between her legs when Benezia let out a whimper.  
  
With one hand still tightly grasping her bondmate's ass, the other moved to press between thighs quivering with tension. Even through the panties, she felt slick heat, and it took only a few strokes for Benezia's nails to sink into her nape and shoulder, to draw out another shaking breath.  
  
"Would be easy to keep you like this. Iaera won't step away from her work until it's done and that could be..." Aethyta smiled against the younger asari's lips, applying a little more pressure with her fingers. "...hours."  
  
" _Goddess_." Benezia squirmed, unable to move without shifting into her touch.  
  
"Pray to her all you want." She slipped her fingers beneath the barrier of the silk, unable to hold back a groan at finding her bondmate dripping wet. "It's me you have to deal with."  
  
The slide of the curtain made her stiffen, head jerking to level the intruder with as much venom as she could summon. Shiala, however, didn't seem impressed. The matron idly gestured down the hall, keeping the threshold blocked with a wide stance.  
  
"You'll have company in a minute." Shiala cleared her throat, but the blush Aethyta expected was strangely absent. "I thought you should know."  
  
"Tevura's tits, I swear-" Aethyta pulled her hand away, regretting it the moment Benezia shuddered, some of the color returning to the younger matriarch's eyes. "You couldn't have held them off for five minutes?"  
  
Shiala shrugged. "Considering I could hear you from here, probably not."  
  
"We'll be home soon enough, my love." Benezia offered up her holster, the sundress already hastily tugged back down. "Provided you don't get us pulled over."  
  
Aethyta grumbled as she quickly buckled the holster in place, ensuring the grip of the pistol was at the right height. After pulling on her jacket, a quick glance in the mirror proved she looked presentable enough to walk to the skycar, even if she was just as inclined to push Benezia up against it and drop to her knees to get beneath that dress again. Unfortunately her bondmate was touching up that dark lipstick, an age-old sign that she'd be kept waiting.  
  
The hall was empty once she stepped past the curtain, save for the noise of chattering apprentices carrying from the other rooms. Shiala was already three steps ahead, bringing up her omnitool to unlock the car. Aethyta shoved her hands into her pockets, waiting until Benezia emerged, looking poised, untouched. She wasn't sure how her bondmate did it, not when she'd felt the overwhelming arousal between Benezia's thighs just a moment before.  
  
The younger matriarch took her arm with a knowing smile, leading them both out of the boutique. Shiala had the engine running by the time she buckled her belt, and Aethyta wondered if the matron was a bit more flustered than she looked. As far as she could tell, there hadn't been any damn reason to leave. Her jaw tensed at the thought, feeling a knot of frustration low in her stomach. Benezia was scrolling through omnitool messages beside her, flagging important ones for later. Hopefully later was the morning after they fucked to exhaustion and not before.  
  
Looking out the darkened window was her only source of entertainment with both of Benezia's hands occupied, watching the sun start to drift down towards the horizon. They were still in the heart of Serrice, with buildings regularly interrupting the view, but after a moment, Aethyta blinked. The sun was on the wrong side of the skycar.  
  
"Any reason you're taking the long way, Shiala?" She asked, trying to keep the irritation out of her voice. "Thoroughfare's back about two turns."  
  
"Shortcut." The matron replied without skipping a beat. "Unless you want to catch rush hour twice."  
  
The fastest way would have been to turn on Benezia's diplomatic tags and cruise down the emergency lane, but apparently that was an abuse of privileges. Aethyta leaned back in her seat, letting her eyes close. A nap would pass the time, if she could relax long enough to ignore the throb of desire between her thighs. Keeping her thoughts off Benezia was difficult with the younger matriarch's leg firmly wedged against hers, much less the memories of everything they'd done in this very backseat.  
  
It had just been a month before when they were at the groundbreaking for a museum in Armali that she'd rescued Benezia from the droning of one of the continent's premiere archeologists, slipping past the media circus to the skycar lot. Benezia had pretended to be scandalized just long enough for the door to close before cupping her through her trousers, eyes going black. Aethyta hadn't tolerated that for long, taking full advantage of the roomy seat to get down on her knees, coaxing every filthy word she wanted to hear from her bondmate's lips in between teasing swipes of her tongue.  
  
Feeling a drop in the pit of her stomach stirred her from the memory. The muted whisper of wind over the skycar's chassis was gone, followed by the clang of magnetic locks engaging with a parking space. Shiala killed the engine the moment they touched down, unbuckling her belt and popping the doors open. Aethyta sat in mystified silence for a moment, taking in their surroundings. The lot was high-walled and clean, the nearby gate engraved with a set of initials she didn't recognize.  
  
"Care to fill me in?" she asked, glancing at Benezia.  
  
The younger matriarch leaned over to offer a brief kiss. "Home was over an hour away. This hotel was ten minutes."  
  
Aethyta grinned, returning the kiss with just enough force to earn another gasp and Benezia's hands on her shoulders, shoving her out of the back seat. Shiala closed the doors behind them after a shake of her head, turning on her heel to walk towards the lobby. Aethyta slid her arm around Benezia's, raising a curious brow.  
  
"And where's she going?"  
  
"To get the key." Benezia patted her shoulder. "Unless you'd like the Serrice evening news speculating on why I was escorted by someone other than my bondmate into the penthouse suite."  
  
"They shouldn't care," Aethyta groused, starting to walk. "Who you fuck isn't about politics."  
  
The younger matriarch sighed. "If only that was so. Being with another asari draws enough eyes, but two..."  
  
Aethyta shook her head, a blast of cool air hitting them both as they entered the lobby.  There was a single receptionist behind a desk carved out of black marble, who smiled in their direction but said nothing. Most asari hotels were renowned for their discretion, feigning ignorance in the face of even the most forceful of paparazzi; the staff was there to solve problems or stay seen and not heard. Keys came from the terminal bank across the room instead of a check-in counter, exchanging credit chits or an account number for a reservation under whatever name was chosen.  
  
Benezia raised her omnitool as they approached the elevator, a smile quirking dark lips as she read the displayed message. "Top floor."  
  
"That was fast," Aethyta said.  
  
Then again, she was fairly sure Shiala could scale up the side of the building in the time it took most asari to use the elevator. It wouldn't have been the first time.  
  
"She's motivated," Benezia replied, not bothering to conceal her amusement.  
  
A fifty-floor ride should have been more than enough time for a quick grope, but before she could so much as drop her hand, Benezia chastised her with a look. Patience had never been her strong suit, but if her bondmate was that intent on making her wait a few more minutes, she'd hold out.  
  
The elevator opened to a single hallway leading to a set of double doors, the green center panel announcing they were unlocked. Aethyta had never been to this suite before, but it was always nice to have an entire floor to themselves. A houseful of acolytes and commandos made it hard to get a quick lay outside the bedroom, especially if she wanted to make any noise. The option to order food straight to the room helped too. It was always a shame to watch Benezia standing at the mirror for twenty minutes to conceal every mark she'd left so the younger asari could slip downstairs to steal some breakfast. Worse when Benezia sent her downstairs instead; the heavy makeup drove her crazy.  
  
Penthouse or not, Aethyta still felt her eyes widen once they stepped inside. The foyer led to a sprawl of a living room with floor-to-ceiling windows, the view directed right at the sunset. A wet bar took up half of one wall, filled with every bottled brand she knew, next to an entertainment center that was framed by a trio of plush blue couches. She was pretty sure she'd owned skycars smaller than the vidscreen in the middle. A clear door separated the main room from a walled-off porch that had an honest-to-Athame swimming pool and hot tub sunken into the polished wooden floor. If she squinted, she could see the design at the bottom of the pool; a colorful mosaic of two asari intertwined under a stylized sun. Whether it was meant to be art or encouragement, the place was ridiculous. And she hadn't even looked for the bedroom.  
  
"You paid for this to skip an hour?" Aethyta asked, goggling at the size of the liquor cabinet.  
  
"An hour? I was planning on the entire evening," Benezia replied, trailing a caress down her arm. "And as much of tomorrow as we can get away with."  
  
She turned to face the younger matriarch, desire surging like a flood, only to find one of those slender fingers pressed against her lips, the soft gesture stopping her in her tracks.  
  
"I'm going to freshen up. Find where Shiala's gotten to, mm?"  
  
Benezia's eyes were still that bright, clear blue, but her bondmate's voice held every ounce of darkness and longing the gaze didn't show. It was the same tone that could weaken her knees with a whisper, make her beg for the pleasure of a single touch. All she could do was nod, dragged hook, line, and sinker by the smile she received before Benezia withdrew, departing for the bathroom.  
  
When she finally managed to look away, Shiala was standing in the far doorway, leaning with both arms crossed. The pose tugged the hem of the matron's shirt high enough to expose a strip of skin above her black leather belt, hinting at the lithe muscle underneath. But it was the look on the younger asari's face that really drew Aethyta's eye, a smirk barely restrained. After decades of seeing Shiala every single day, too many fights and plans and holidays to even count, she'd never seen the matron look _smug_ before.  
  
"What are you laughing at?" Aethyta closed the distance between them in a few strides.  
  
"Nothing." Shiala shrugged, canting her head towards the room behind her. "The bedroom's nice."  
  
The smirk didn't vanish when she stopped just short of the matron, their bodies separated by an inch if she held her breath. In fact, it widened, despite Aethyta having to look down to compensate for Shiala's height. She knew every inch of the younger asari's compact, flexible frame, the way it felt trapped underneath her when they grappled, hands seeking a hold to press any advantage. If nothing else, Shiala had given her some of the best fights in her life; she was never sure if she'd win until there was a gasp for mercy or the matron going limp in surrender.  
  
"She's had you on the leash all day too, but you're smiling about it." Aethyta's eyes narrowed. "Know something I don't?"  
  
Shiala's split second glance away said everything she needed to know. The matron was a terrible liar, and with only silence as an answer, Aethyta felt her jaw tense, a spike of anger radiating through her body. When their eyes met again, a challenge glittered in that green gaze, pure and defiant.  
  
How many months had it been? They'd always had friction, edges that refused to align, but every so often it would come to a head, no-holds-barred venting until one of them gave in. The odds were about fifty-fifty, no matter who started it, which made it all the better, and shamelessly brutal. But since Janiris, it had been nothing but circling, neither willing to take responsibility for the first blow. There had been arguments, sure, but Aethyta had felt the last minute retreat when things were about to boil over more than once.  
  
The struggle was how she knew how Shiala truly felt, when words failed them both. Refusing a fight was tantamount to a lie, and even if part of her didn't want to know what the matron was hiding, she'd be damned if this was going to drag out any longer without the truth.  
  
Friction brought heat. And Aethyta was suffocating in it.  
  
The first punch was admittedly cheap, a sucker shot right to Shiala's ribs, but the younger asari had braced for the blow, turning just in time to deflect the weight she put behind it. Aethyta shifted to her back foot, expecting a counter, but Shiala put distance between them with a quick retreat into the bedroom. She knew it was a lure, but she wouldn’t be able to force the issue if the matron bounced out of her reach.  
  
Her rush forward was paired with a telegraphed swing that Shiala easily blocked, but Aethyta growled in frustration when her other fist was swept out of the way too. Each parry felt like she was striking iron; Shiala's defense was just as hardened as her offense, taking the impact without flinching. Aethyta had torn through turian carapaces with her bare hands, cracked open a krogan's face with her skull, but no one ever endured like the matron had, the immovable object to her unstoppable force. Eventually, they’d grind each other to pieces.  
  
Aethyta knew she was gaining ground, inch by inch. Shiala couldn't dodge and keep the same footing at once, not when Aethyta wasn't holding back. Either could have pressed an advantage with a single blue spark, but that had always been an unspoken rule between them - no biotics. They were a shield to protect, a blade to strike a killing blow, not for this.  
  
She grit her teeth when Shiala caught her next punch, the shock ricocheting from the matron's palm back up the length of her arm. The brief grind of her knuckles stung, but she slipped from the younger asari's grasp to throw a tight elbow, trying to get in even closer. This time she clipped Shiala's torso, but the lightning fast shift staggered the matron, who barely recovered in time to counter Aethyta’s grab for one shoulder.  
  
"Why are you holding back?" Aethyta snarled, another punch simply cleaving through the air as Shiala shuffled back another step.  
  
There was a slight hitch in the younger asari's breath. "I'm not."  
  
"You haven't thrown a single punch." She emphasized the words with a quick one-two, but the matron didn't go for the bait, catching her fists in a tight grasp instead.  
  
They fumbled for a moment before Aethyta broke Shiala's stance by hooking one leg, but cursed when the the matron yanked back, the momentum too powerful to escape. Shiala slammed into the nearest wall, their hands staying locked together as the younger asari struggled to find her footing. Aethyta let out a low growl as she tried to angle Shiala's arms against the wall in a pin, but their strength was still too evenly matched, the tremble of muscle keeping either of them from taking control.  
  
"You let me box you in." Aethyta said, unable to keep the strain out of her voice. "Not the soldier I know. On the ground you can take me, but here? Just a matter of time before I get in a hit you'll feel."  
  
Shiala grimaced, grip tightening. "Do it, then."  
  
"Only if you tell me why-" she shoved a knee between both of Shiala's to keep the matron from dropping her weight and slipping free, "-you think you deserve it."  
  
"You know why," the matron answered breathlessly, using the leverage of the wall to try and shove back.  
  
Aethyta kept her caught, although she could feel them both weakening, the slide of sweat between their palms. "Do you want me to make you leave?"  
  
"No," Shiala gasped, making another push forward.  
  
This time she was ready to counter it, and the shove back got her the advantage she needed. Aethyta seized both of the younger asari's wrists, trapping them against the wall with all the strength she could muster. Her eyes burned into Shiala's, teeth briefly bared.  
  
"Are you trying to take her away from me?"  
  
"No!" The shout was matched with widened green eyes, and Aethyta believed it. Shiala's reaction was too stark, too sudden, to be a lie. She felt some of the tension around her heart bleed away. It was easier to breathe, to take control.  
  
"Then why?" She made the question an order, a demand, refusing to let the matron move until it was answered.  
  
"Because..." Shiala gulped down a breath, shoulders dropping an inch. "You know she doesn't want this. She wants...peace."  
  
Aethyta went silent for a moment, feeling as the younger asari sagged beneath her grip in a clear signal of surrender. Shiala's jaw was set, tense as Kurinth's bowstring, as the rest of the matron's body gave in. But it was out of shame rather than accepting defeat. That wouldn't do at all.  
  
"We're not built for peace." Aethyta said firmly. "We bleed for her, kill for her. Someone has to."  
  
"That's different than l-" Shiala choked down the word. "That's different than what this is."  
  
"You've always given me a fair shake. No matter how many times I pulled something dirty to get my way, you swallowed your pride or you took it to me on the mat. Now you're running."  
  
It took everything she had not to smile at the surge of energy, the spark of fire in Shiala's eyes. The younger asari would tolerate a hell of a lot from her, but being called a coward would never be on that list.  
  
"I've never wanted to get in your way," Shiala said, softer than she expected.  
  
"Do you love her?" Aethyta asked.  
  
There was a sharp recoil in the body against hers, but rather than another struggle, the tension left when Shiala let out a very slow, careful breath. Then the matron bit her lip and nodded firmly, once.  
  
"I know you'd die for her." Aethyta said, and got another slow nod. "If she wants this, wants us, then she can deal with us...beating the hell out of each other when we need to. She doesn't know bloodlust, doesn't know the army rough-and-tumble."  
  
"You were never military," Shiala mumbled, but she caught a hint of a smile.  
  
Aethyta raised a brow. "I was a commando before your mother ever talked up an elcor, it's close enough."  
  
She released her grip on Shiala's wrists, letting the matron drop her arms and roll her shoulders back in a stretch before she threw a punch. The blow connected against the younger asari's mouth with a dull thud, stunning Shiala for a handful of seconds. Aethyta watched as the haze passed, the swipe of her tongue over a lip that would likely swell.  
  
It was a roll of the dice whether Shiala would go for a body shot or her face in turn, but she left herself open; it was only fair. What she didn't expect was for the matron to grab her by the jacket and pull her into a kiss. The collision was as brutal as an uppercut, and she could taste a hint of blood in Shiala's mouth, feel a teasing graze of teeth. A shock of heat went right between her legs before she returned the kiss with just as much vigor. When the younger asari's hips pressed down against her thigh, Aethyta raised it even higher to take advantage of the full-body shiver that followed.  
  
"What was that for?" Shiala murmured, and Aethyta knew the matron didn't mean the knee wedged between both legs.  
  
"Helping her yank my chain the whole damn day," she growled, her hands seeking out the younger asari's belt. "Get your shirt off."  
  
Shiala claimed another quick kiss before obeying, the shirt hitting the floor the moment Aethyta worked the buckle open. Her arm was trapped for a moment as the matron pulled her jacket down her shoulders, another sharp tug removing it completely. When they were both bare from the waist up, she abandoned the belt to grab Shiala's hips and draw their bodies together, the soft warmth of lips and breasts fused with the clash of hard muscle she knew so well. The younger asari didn't have much of a rack to speak of, really, but Aethyta wasn't sure she could handle someone who was stacked _and_ sculpted down to the last flexed ab. There had to be some balance.  
  
Feeling Shiala arch against her, that lust slowly bleeding through, was enough to encourage one of her hands even lower. The matron's mouth was occupied with her throat, brief nips becoming a solid bite when she shoved her fingers past the tight barriers of the younger asari's dark slacks and underwear, finding slick folds that welcomed her touch with a sudden jerk forward of hips. Aethyta groaned at the ache left from Shiala's teeth, the balm of a hot, quick tongue passing over the mark. She was so wet she could barely think, letting out a grateful gasp when her trousers were torn away by desperate hands, calloused and rough as her own.  
  
When Shiala stiffened, she took it as encouragement, but the moan that came when her fingers brushed the matron's clit was muted between clenched teeth. The hands at her hips went still except a few soft taps, a warning before she had the sense to look over her shoulder.  
  
Aethyta had run out of words a long time ago to convey Benezia's beauty. Her bondmate could give a come hither look from across any room and she'd come running without question from the command of those bright blue eyes. The same eyes framed by a noble jaw, tracing a path down to those perfect lips, the ones that formed her name in the depth of the meld, the only feature that could distract her from those marvelous tits for even a second, the realization that Benezia was just standing there, dripping wet from the shower-  
  
Her jaw dropped slightly. "Oh."  
  
Shiala's soft pants for breath were the only sound in the room for a long moment before Benezia smiled. "I thought I was going to have to break up a fight."  
  
Aethyta slowly shook her head. "Just...working some things out."  
  
"Mm." Benezia stood as if unaware her glorious body was on display, rivulets of water tracing full breasts like a caress, lingering against dark, hardened nipples before descending even lower. "Shiala, this isn't quite what I asked for."  
  
Aethyta wasn't exactly sure when the matron had extricated her hand, but there was only a blur in the corner of her vision before she found herself on her back against the bed. Shiala trapped her wrists up near the pillows while she was trying to recover, but even with her legs free, the younger asari's weight was like a stone against her stomach. When a fraction of that smug look returned, Aethyta had confirmation she was well and truly screwed.  
  
"This was the plan?" Her reflexive push against Shiala's grip didn't gain her a damn inch.  
  
"Originally," the matron replied with a shrug.  
  
Benezia sat down on the bed, content as a commando on shore leave. She could only drink in the sight of her bondmate's naked form, close enough to smell the citrus-based soap used in the shower, but well out of her reach. With Shiala straddling her, the path of Benezia's hand was hidden until she felt her underwear being removed, casually tossed aside once it was past her ankles. Benezia was usually meticulous, and the abrupt gesture gave her some hope that this torment wouldn't last much longer.  
  
"There's really no point in struggling." The younger matriarch's tone was matter-of-fact, holding a dark, lustful edge. "Just relax, my love."  
  
Any protest she might have had was silenced by fingers trailing up the inside of her thigh, feather-light. Aethyta knew there was no hiding the desperation written all over her face, but she still bit her lip to quiet the first moan when Benezia's caress skipped to the other leg, purposefully avoiding where she ached in between. The soft touch became the rasp of nails, outlining one particular scar that lay at the juncture of hip and thigh. Aethyta felt her abdomen tighten every time it was traced, a startled gasp forced from her throat when the contact vanished, only to return against her slick entrance.  
  
"Breathe."  
  
Two fingers thrust to the knuckle at the end of the word, and Aethtya's ragged inhale was chased by another, louder moan. The teasing she expected was replaced with a relentless rhythm, Benezia's fingers moving deep and quick, thumb centered on her clitoris. Shiala's warm body pressed flush to hers, the matron kissing along her collarbone up to her throat, teeth grazing against sensitive skin.  
  
"She doesn't expect you to hold out." Shiala murmured, just loud enough for her to hear. "You can let go whenever you want."  
  
As if she could do anything else. Aethyta had been under Benezia like this before, limbs bound by biotics, subject to her bondmate's every whim, but this was different. With Shiala keeping her well in hand, the younger matriarch didn't have to worry about anything pesky like exhaustion, able to focus on every demanding stroke, the wicked but firm pressure against her clit. The strained cry that left her lips was matched with a shiver, the constant tremble of flexed muscle beneath Shiala's iron grip.  
  
Meeting Benezia's dark eyes was what made her break, the rush of heat up her nape when there was a whisper along the boundaries of her mind, toying with a connection. Aethyta tightened instinctively around those slender fingers, the answering pulse of pleasure too powerful to hold back. Her hips rocked forward as she shook through each overwhelming wave of ecstasy, arching sharply against the bed.  
  
It was her own ragged gasp that roused her from the depths of langour, suddenly aware of Shiala's gentle nuzzle against her shoulder. Benezia's fingers had yet to withdraw, but her clit was no longer being teased, mindful of any sensitivity. Aethyta didn't feel sensitive at all, almost as wound up as she had been a few minutes before, but the first orgasm had taken off some of the edge. Enough for her to breathe without immediately feeling that tight, telling ache.  
  
"Now you're playing nice," Aethyta muttered, knowing the matron would hear.  
  
She felt Shiala's smile against her skin. "I can hit you back if you really want me to."  
  
"I would rather you didn't," Benezia interjected, leaving Aethyta to groan as her bondmate's hand finally pulled away.  
  
It was a surprise when Shiala relaxed her grip, but a pointed look from her bondmate made it clear she wasn't supposed to move. The matron shifted onto one side, eyes lost entirely to darkness. Benezia mirrored the movement, and Aethyta had to admit, being flanked by them both was quite a sight. Her bondmate had no objections to her ardent stare, taking in every familiar inch from bright blue eyes, down to those perfect tits, the firm curve of the younger matriarch’s ass. Shiala shied a bit at the inspection, but Aethyta couldn’t find a damn thing to be ashamed of as her gaze traveled from the width of both shoulders down the length of the matron’s sculpted core, which stopped short at an open belt buckle. Her approving smile quickly turned into a full-blown laugh.  
  
"How are you still wearing pants?" she asked, nearly choking to quiet herself.  
  
Shiala glanced down, lips pursing. "Well, you never got them off."  
  
"A grievous oversight," Benezia said, mirth shining in her eyes.  
  
Aethyta watched the blush spread across Shiala's face under the weight of their shared gaze, but the matron sat up nonetheless, shucking off the trousers and underwear in one smooth motion before casting them aside. It wasn't exactly an Omega striptease, but it would do. Shiala returned to her side unabashed, seeming far more embarrassed about staying dressed than being in the buff. Then again, there wasn't much to laugh about when the younger asari was naked and showing all the eager signs of arousal.  
  
"Much better," Benezia purred.  
  
When her bondmate leaned over for a kiss, Aethyta didn't refuse, even if she was pretty certain she'd just be in for more teasing. Instead, Benezia was straightforward, if terribly gentle. The contact lingered, the younger matriarch's tongue brushing against her lower lip, content to feel without any urgency. She remained flushed, tense, but the white-hot need in her veins had cooled enough to enjoy the simple pleasure of Benezia's mouth against hers without having to demand more.  
  
"All I want you to do is lay back." Her bondmate whispered. "Will you do that for me?"  
  
Aethyta's brow knit, but she nodded. Another long kiss was her reward before Benezia straddled her hips, feeling a hint of slick heat low against her stomach. She fought against the reflex to reach up and touch by biting her tongue, keeping her arms against either side of the pillows. In the corner of her eye, she saw Shiala shift too, but following the matron's path would mean looking past the bounty right in front of her. Aethyta could count every drop of water still left on her bondmate’s skin, and knowing all she had to do was sit up to draw one of those hardened nipples between her lips made keeping still a particular torment.  
  
Benezia's fingers started at her collarbones, slowly tracing outward. At the line of her shoulders, there was a gentle pressure, building until Aethyta let out a quiet gasp. The younger matriarch had found more than one sore spot, but the rigid tension was massaged away in tight, careful circles by Benezia's thumbs. When her bondmate leaned forward, she couldn't help tilting up into the kiss, although it was brief, dark lips moving down to her jaw, the length of her throat. Teeth teased her pulse just long enough for her to groan, followed by Benezia's pleased hum.  
  
"My beautiful warrior."  
  
The exploration continued past the diamond shape of her shoulders, maddeningly slow as her biceps were traversed, with particular attention paid to a bullet graze that had long since healed into a smooth line. Aethyta started a bit when she felt a warm breath at the base of her calf, but Shiala's roughened hands were just as kind as Benezia's, intent on working out every stiff knot in the muscles there. When the matron pressed a kiss to the inside of her knee, a sigh escaped her, the contact soft and fleeting.  
  
Every coil of desperation was being unwound by their touch, replaced with a different sort of need. It was an ache that built with the brush of fingertips, lips and tongue memorizing her skin, not the lightning quick lust that had possessed her at the tailor's, in the heated moments when Shiala was struggling under her grip.  
  
Aethyta moaned when Benezia's mouth reached her breasts, Shiala's murmur of approval against the inside of one thigh igniting another jolt of arousal. Her bondmate was agonizingly patient, drawing a spiral from the juncture of chest and shoulder around her breast, each stroke centimeters closer to her nipple. When the hardened peak was captured and roughly sucked, Aethyta's hands clenched into fists, making contact with the headboard. Benezia released her with that mischievous smile before moving to the other tit, copying the same deliberate trail started with the first.  
  
Shiala's hands settling on her hips was the only warning Aethyta had before the matron's tongue delved between her thighs, licking from entrance to clit. Her choked gasp ended on a sound dangerously close to a whimper when calloused fingers caressed the hollows of her hips, slick folds spread wide by Shiala's eager attentions. When her eyes met Benezia's, saw the dark pleasure reflected there, it was all she could do not to beg, wishing her hand could grasp at her bondmate's nape and feel the heat, that her fingers could thread into Shiala's crest to keep the matron held in place until she screamed her release.  
  
"Fuck, don't tease me-" was what finally tumbled from Aethyta's lips, and she could hear the edge in her own voice that turned it into a plea instead of a demand.  
  
Whether or not Benezia wanted to relent, Shiala was merciful, and the feeling of that hot mouth suddenly wrapped around her clit, quick strokes of the matron's tongue against the sensitive bud, earned a cry of relief. Her bondmate didn't idle for long, hands seizing her breasts in a firm hold, toying with the peaks just to the edge of pain and back. She groaned when Benezia kissed her again, the younger matriarch's hips rocking in a sympathetic rhythm.  
  
Aethyta shamelessly bucked forward, but Shiala never faltered, adjusting to every jerk and twist, mouth encompassing her completely. The matron's nails bit into her skin when she shuddered, another sharp sound catching in her throat. She wasn't sure which name to shout, caught between the twin points of pleasure, consumed by them both.  
  
It didn't really matter in the end, her thoughts overcome by a surge of bliss. She could only moan and arch under Benezia until it was over, who coaxed her back from the euphoric peak with sweet nothings, an echo of the touch across her chest and shoulders. Aethyta lay limp on the bed for a long moment, the rise and fall of breath her only movement until she recovered from the haze, blinking up at her bondmate.  
  
"I said you were going to kill me," she mumbled.  
  
A flash of delight went through the younger matriarch's eyes. "Only if you ask nicely, my love."  
  
Benezia kissed the start of sweat from her brow before shifting back onto one side, content to relax for a few minutes. She knew they had all night, but that didn't keep Aethyta from looking between her thighs at where Shiala lay, flushed from the neck up, but smiling just enough for her to see.  
  
"Sorry," the matron said, a breathless rasp on the end of the word. "It wasn't meant to be teasing. Just...appreciation."  
  
Her body might need a moment to recover from back-to-back orgasm, but that didn't mean she had to keep to herself. Aethyta gestured, enjoying the flicker of surprise in Shiala's expression. "Come here."  
  
The younger asari moved with purpose, but Aethyta was impatient, grasping both shoulders to pull the matron against her and into a kiss. Shiala's mouth was wet with the heady taste of her own arousal, which she reclaimed with a quick swipe of her tongue. After hooking one muscled thigh, Aethyta rolled towards the center of the bed, breaking the kiss only when Shiala was underneath her. There was a startled breath in response, the matron going rigid, but the fight she was ready for didn't come.  
  
"You want this?" she asked, needing to be absolutely sure.  
  
Shiala nodded. "If you want me."  
  
Aethyta had already shared Benezia with the matron side by side, taken Shiala from behind, seen and heard the younger asari's cries of release more than once, but it was different, face to face without a struggle. Stereotypical or not, there was a pang of vulnerability in Shiala's stare, a fragment of green breaking through black. It was easy to forget how many centuries lay between them when Shiala walked like a general, threw herself into combat with a warlord's stripes. There was no fear, no hesitation. But here, they both had unsure footing.  
  
"I want you," Aethyta said, breathing the words into another kiss.  
  
A swell of darkness in Shiala's eyes answered and the matron's embrace was fierce, powerful hands clutching at her back. The younger asari's skin was silk over steel, but Aethyta carefully explored every soft place, the slight curve of both breasts. She knew Shiala could offer more than quiet gasps, that telling hitch of breath, but she wanted it to come naturally.  
  
Aethyta drew her thumb down the flexed muscle of the matron's abdomen, halting over the ridge of a scar. It spread outward like a shot against bulletproof glass, a fractured web. Shiala's delayed shiver caught her attention, and another caress across the damage drew out the beginning of a moan.  
  
"Warp round?" she asked, fingers drifting lower, a centimeter at a time.  
  
"Yes. Right-" The matron sighed at the brief drag of her nails. "-through the barrier."  
  
Shiala's legs parted without another word, and Aethyta's restraint vanished with the first contact against swollen folds, the reflexive jerk of the hips beneath her. She circled the younger asari's entrance once before easing a finger inside, but the moan that answered was joined by a second, a higher-pitched sound she'd recognise anywhere.  
  
Her eyes lit up as she glanced to her left: Benezia was staring at them, looking nothing short of hypnotized at the sight of them together. Shiala hadn't noticed the exchange, far more invested in urging her thrusts deeper with a forceful shift, but her bondmate's lips were parted, hands gripping the sheets to sate the need to hold onto something. That was the downside to the younger matriarch’s teasing ploy; every time Aethyta was denied, Benezia had also denied herself. Aethyta reveled in the hunger they shared, knowing her bondmate was just as eager as she was to see Shiala come.  
  
She shifted her focus back with a smile, using her knee to spread the matron's thighs even wider. A bolt of heat went up her nape when the blue static of Shiala's biotics, trapped right beneath the skin, flared, a pulse spreading through the younger asari's hands. Her finger withdrew, earning a low groan of protest before she concentrated on the sensitive bud above, stroking under the tight hood of Shiala's clit.  
  
Her own biotics sparked in sympathy as the matron grasped at her like an anchor; the energy was a second heartbeat, thrumming in time with her pulse, with Shiala's ragged breaths. It whispered over her skin, hot one moment and cold the next, the duelling charges between their bodies clashing and trying to fuse. They wouldn't without a meld, but she saw a gulp of hesitation break through the matron's pleasure, and that was the only signal she needed.  
  
"Not now," Aethyta said softly.  
  
Shiala nodded, eyes closing to resist the temptation, but the younger asari arched up for a deep kiss, pouring every ounce of passion into the simple, physical joining. Aethyta's fingers quickened, taking the matron's muted cry between her own lips as she felt the resistance beneath her break. The fluid arch of Shiala's back brought their bodies together, every tremble of relief faintly echoed through her own frame until they both relaxed against the bed. Even when her hand stilled, a few bright sparks lingered, fizzling one by one as the adrenaline started to fade away.  
  
"Need another round?"  
  
"Not now," Shiala echoed, eyes shifting to the left. "I want to see you with her."  
  
She followed the matron’s stare, energized by the request. Aethyta had devoted untold hours in their relationship to learning Benezia's body, sussing out everything that drove her bondmate wild, but nothing she'd done before had ever put such a look of sheer longing on the younger matriarch's face as the one that was now. Shiala slipped out of her reach to the far side of the bed, taking custody of a pillow to give them even more space. She wasn't sure they really needed it; whoever had furnished the penthouse had made everything orgy-sized, including the mattress.  
  
She held Benezia's dark gaze just a moment longer. "Waiting for something, Nezzy?"  
  
Usually she would pounce and pin her bondmate down, but watching Benezia come to her, eager as a maiden, was too good to resist. Their first kiss was quick and rough, and it was only when the younger matriarch was nearly in her lap that she got a firm hold and pushed Benezia against the pillows, trapping hands that had already started to wander. Aethyta almost felt guilty at her bondmate's stricken expression, but it wouldn't last for long.  
  
"Aethyta-" Benezia began.  
  
Her fingers tightened around the younger matriarch's wrists. "Going to make demands when you had me on the ropes for hours?"  
  
The seductive pout of that dark mouth nearly made her reconsider. "Maybe a few."  
  
"I have a better idea." Aethyta tilted her head down, drawing the peak of one breast between her lips. The lightest rasp of her teeth was all it took for Benezia to whimper and squirm beneath her before she pulled away. "Why don't you convince me?"  
  
"How?"  
  
She shrugged, casually leaning forward to give the other hardened bud the same treatment, followed by a split second flicker of her tongue. Benezia moaned, trying to fight her grip to no avail. "Tell me exactly what you want."  
  
The request was simple, but her bondmate flushed an impressive shade of purple nonetheless. If Aethyta hadn't been looking in the instant Benezia's eyes strayed, she would have missed it, but the glance Shiala's way told volumes.  
  
"I want her to hear you." She put the same growl in her voice as she had at the tailor's, the harsh tone answered with a shiver. "I've had my fill. Shiala too. I can take as long as I like with your beautiful tits, see how much it takes to keep you on the edge."  
  
While Aethyta had no intention to stop after this, the constant throb between her thighs was manageable; she could outlast the protests, Benezia's inevitable delays. Her bondmate was always polite, the picture of poise, and didn't seem to understand how damn hot it was to hear that voice wrapped around the filthiest words she could come up with. She took every opportunity she could to state her case, though.  
  
"I want you," Benezia said breathlessly.  
  
It was a start, anyway. Aethyta rewarded it with a few seconds of contact, rolling one tight bud against her tongue. A cool exhale against the same breast made Benezia moan even louder, trying to arch up into her mouth, but she retreated before her bondmate could get very far.  
  
"I'm right here," She teased, pinning Benezia's wrists back against the headboard. "What else do you want?"  
  
"Your mouth." That answer came a bit faster, although it was still too vague for her tastes.  
  
"Here?" Aethyta pressed a kiss to Benezia's sternum, sure to avoid anywhere sensitive.  
  
There was a soft hiss of protest. "No."  
  
"You're making me guess, Nezzy." Aethyta chided, but redirected her attentions to the nipple she'd yet to touch, claiming it with her lips and teeth. After Benezia's sharp inhale, she relented again. "There?"  
  
Frustration won out with a whimper, the strained gasp of "Goddess, suck me."  
  
Now they were getting somewhere. Aethyta would never have it said she didn't hold up her end of the bargain, starting to suck at each taut peak, switching between them when Benezia's cry went up an octave. The younger matriarch's hips were restless beneath her own, the slight jerks upward becoming more insistent with every pass of her mouth. Decades together and she had yet to tire of how Benezia reacted to her, moaning like it was their first time all over again. Aethyta couldn't imagine she ever would.  
  
"My hands-" Benezia begged. "Please, I need to touch you-"  
  
Usually there would be an argument, but she was aching to feel the weight of her bondmate's tits against her palms, and reveled in the frantic whimper of her name when she did just that.  Benezia's hands went right to her nape to toy with the sensitive ridges there, earning a loud moan as the pleasure shot straight down Aethyta’s spine and between her thighs. She recovered with a rough squeeze of both breasts before she relaxed her grip, needing one hand free to seek the slick heat she had already been tormented with twice today.  
  
"Tell me what you want." Her fingers teased up and down Benezia's folds, stopping shy each time of her bondmate's clit. "No more games."  
  
A long breath of hesitation followed, but she could feel the sensitive bud straining above her fingertips, and her bondmate was dripping wet. It wouldn't take much more to push Benezia to the breaking point, not after she’d denied herself the entire day too. Aethyta had some appreciation of the irony, but results were what really mattered, which she emphasized with a deliberate stroke around her bondmate's entrance.  
  
"Make me-" Benezia started but fumbled the third word, some of the deep blush returning. "Make me come, Aethyta, _please_ -"  
  
Whatever else she had wanted to hear, that second keening _please_ warned that if she dallied much longer, Benezia might just come anyway, and Aethyta wanted to be the one to relieve that ache. The circles around the younger matriarch's clit started slow, picking up speed as she applied a little more pressure as her mouth returned to Benezia's breasts, joined by her free hand. Aethyta’s fingers worked in tandem with the liquid movement of her bondmate's hips until the dam finally broke, pleasure pushing Benezia past the point of caring what spilled from her lips. No matter how crude, it was uttered in between labored breaths; that voice could make any curse sound like it was wrapped in velvet.  
  
"Fuck me, please, I need-" Benezia gasped the last word, the whimper that followed proving she was right on the edge.  
   
"Come for me, babe," Aethyta coaxed. "Let me hear you."  
  
If they weren't in the penthouse suite, she was pretty sure the entire floor would have heard Benezia's cry of release. Aethyta barely had time to register it herself before heat rushed up her nape and she was falling deep into pitch black eyes. The meld was instantaneous, their minds snapping together as her body was overwhelmed with a pure orgasmic rush. Her fingers moved instinctively to draw it out, the ecstasy echoed between her thighs with each stroke until neither of them could take any more.   
  
The searing lust filling Aethyta’s being tapered as she started to feel the lines of her own self again, recognizing it was Benezia’s hand stroking her nape and not a sympathetic pang, the touch keeping them anchored as the younger matriarch came back to herself, withdrawing from the connection by degrees until it finally severed. Her bondmate was flushed from exertion but no longer blushing, even if every crude word felt branded on Aethyta’s thoughts.  
  
The same couldn't be said for Shiala. Aethyta watched the matron blink and gulp down a breath before averting darkened eyes, as if that would somehow hide the fantastic purple shade of her cheeks. Benezia noticed a moment after and Aethyta recognized the tight line of her bondmate's lips, when restraining a laugh was nearly failing. She covered for them both with a long kiss before shifting her weight back onto her knees and stretching her arms up towards the ceiling. There was a tight ache between her shoulders, but that was practically a given at her age.  
  
Shiala quietly cleared her throat. "I'm...going to take a shower, if no one minds."  
  
"Done for the night?" Aethyta asked.  
  
"No. Not-” The matron seemed to be searching desperately for an explanation, any excuse to take a moment and recover. “I just thought we could enjoy the pool later. I always shower first. It’s only...polite. In a hotel."  
  
"That's not a bad idea." Benezia smiled. "Although the hot tub might be a wiser option."  
  
Shiala's blush returned in full force. "Whatever you prefer."  
  
With that said, the younger asari fled the bed with slightly unsteady legs. When the bathroom door clicked shut, Aethyta rolled onto her back, grabbing the top sheet to pull over her and Benezia. Her bondmate's laugh finally broke forth, although she covered her mouth to try and mute the sound.  
  
"Did you leave her any cold water?" Aethyta chuckled.  
  
"Probably not enough." Benezia admitted, settling into the offered arc of her arm. "You did that to embarrass her more than me."  
  
"Something's got to break through that polite veneer. She keeps you on a pedestal."  
  
"And you brought me to earth?" her bondmate mused.  
  
"Just down a couple inches." Aethyta tugged Benezia a bit closer. "What was her errand this morning?"  
  
The younger matriarch relaxed against her chest. "Mm. Booking the room, ensuring it was safe."  
  
"She already had the key before we got to the lobby." Aethyta didn't need confirmation, but Benezia still nodded.  
  
Silence hung between them for a few minutes, offset by the spray of water in the bathroom. She knew the question that was coming before it left her bondmate's lips, but she had braced for it.  
  
"Why were you two fighting?"  
  
Aethyta bit the inside of her lip, mulling over the answer. "Because this is all so...new, Nezzy. Janiris was one thing, but she's here with us, a part of _us_."  
  
"Do you want it to stop?" Benezia asked.  
  
"No, I-" Aethyta frowned. "No. I just need to know what's okay. I mean, in the middle of things, she and I almost melded...and I have no idea how you'd feel about that.”   
  
Seeing those blue eyes widen made her heart skip a beat. "It seems terrible to say I hadn't really considered that might occur."  
  
She shrugged. "Not really. You haven't done this before. Hell, I haven't done this before. One night stands aren't the same."  
  
“Would you be comfortable melding with her in front of me? She has watched us together...twice.”   
  
Aethyta barely knew where to start with the question. Sex was simple, even easy to forget after almost ten centuries of doing it. Trying to remember, much less tally up everyone she’d ever slept with would take days to recall, but she still knew every mind that had ever synced up with hers. Melding left an imprint, stronger than a memory. It was one thing to think that she knew Shiala well, another to memorize the matron down to the last nerve ending. There was no going back from it.  
  
“I don’t know,” Aethyta admitted. “I don’t know if I could watch her do the same with you either.”  
  
"Was it jealousy then?" Benezia's lips pursed. "Why you hit her."  
  
"No, of course not. It was because she'd helped you tease me all day. Because she and I hadn't had a good tumble in months." When her bondmate raised a brow, Aethyta quickly clarified with, "the other kind of tumble. We've had a few arguments lately, but she wouldn't fight me because she thought you would be disappointed."  
  
"You _want_ to fight her?" The disbelief in Benezia's voice was obvious, but that was part of the problem.  
  
"Shiala might be polite about it, Nezzy, but she's a soldier. She and I throw a couple punches after hitting the wrong nerve, it's done. Took our pound of flesh. But if we don't...it just festers. She doesn't like talking about her problems anymore than I do."  
  
"I could mediate-"  
  
Aethyta interrupted with a firm shake of her head. "You can't tell us what tactic is best for handling an arena that holds a hundred thousand people. Or whether to carry armor-piercing rounds or incendiary. That's what she and I argue about."  
  
"Protecting me." Benezia finished quietly.  
  
"Because we-" Aethyta took a breath. It wasn't for her to say. "Because I love you and I want you to be safe. Shiala wants you safe too. There's not any logic to pick apart."  
  
"I...will try not to intervene in your arguments. Provided you aren't breaking any bones or furniture."  
  
"That's fair." The next question hung heavily on her tongue, but she wasn't going to waste the chance to ask again. "Why do you want her?"  
  
She expected the silence, settling for drawing a meaningless sigil against Benezia's shoulder while her bondmate searched for the right words. Aethyta realized she might have to answer the question in turn and found herself stumped within moments. How could she explain the fire in Shiala's eyes, translate how it felt to have a strength match her own, willing to give and take in equal measure?  
  
"She's kind. Unbelievably strong." Benezia paused, still deep in thought. "Loyal to the point that my heart aches whenever she reaches for her gun and I wonder if this time, she won't be the one to survive. The exact same reasons I want you."  
  
Maybe it was petty to make sure, but- "And how she looks?"  
  
Benezia sat up halfway to face her, brow knit. "Her appearance, like yours, is a benefit but not a cause. Perhaps it's selfish to want both your bodies as well as your hearts, but seeing her with you..."  
  
"You liked it," Aethyta said simply.  
  
"Goddess." Her bondmate sighed. "Yes. With you, with me, all at once. I won't lie and say Shiala doesn't own some part of my desire, but if this arrangement troubles you in any way, I will end it."  
  
She raised her wrist to the light, exposing the bracelet wrapped around it. "Because of this?"  
  
"Because no amount of pleasure is worth hurting those I care for."  
  
Aethyta let that sink in before smiling. "I don't know. She's pretty damn good with her tongue."  
  
Benezia choked on a laugh, as if surprised to hear the sound. "You are awful."  
  
"Maybe." Aethyta admitted. "But I'm also okay with...letting things play out. This seems too important not to give it a fair shake. "  
  
"We'll need to talk to her too." Benezia said. “About...melding. About everything this might be.”  
  
"Yeah. Although it may take some time before she can look you in the eye again."  
  
"And whose fault is that?" her bondmate accused, although there was a teasing lilt in the question. "I thought you were going to make me beg you to let Shiala fuck me next. Or the both of you together."  
  
"Nezzy." Aethyta gestured to the end of the bed.  
  
Shiala's blush was something for the record book. The matron was still naked, shivering from the shower and carrying three towels over one arm. After a rough swallow, the younger asari managed to speak.  
  
"Did you still want to try out the hot tub?" Shiala asked, pointedly directing her gaze out to the porch.  
  
"I do." Aethyta pushed the sheet off her legs. "Give these old bones a rest."  
  
"Is that the same sort of rest you get in a bathhouse?" Benezia asked, lips quirking in a smile. "I seem to recall our trips being exhausting."  
  
She waved the comment away while climbing off the bed. "It's the steam. Just saps the energy right out of you."  
  
Shiala offered one of the towels, which Aethyta took, but only after leaning down to give the matron a kiss. "You look freezing. Go get in."  
  
By the time she was shoulder-deep in the water, Aethyta was wondering if they could renovate part of the yard to install a hot tub. The gazebo could be pushed out a few inches, or they could tear out the smallest flowerbed. While Benezia's bedroom had a massive bathtub, the jets didn't have half the kick of these ones. Her bondmate was enjoying a full rack of them by herself, while Shiala's head was tilted upward, taking in the stars.  
  
Aethyta was content to stay a while. They had the rest of the night for sex, cuddling, or whatever the hell else they could get up to in a place this big. And they had the rest of their lives to work out the kinks of being three, instead of two plus one.  
  
  



End file.
